An American Dragon in Nerima
by Scooter
Summary: What happens when an American military officer gets cursed? He moves in with the Tendos, of course. Selfinsert fic. Dead
1. Chapter the First

**Standard Disclaimer:**  _Ranma ½_ is the property of Rumiko Takahashi and Viz Video.  In other words, I do not own anything other than the characters that I create.  This is done for entertainment purposes only and no profit is derived from this writings.  Flames will be used for heating.

I'd like to thank John Tannius for the gracious use of certain situations borrowed from his fic "Dragon's Destiny".

An American Dragon in Nerima 

It was a gorgeous day in Nerima, the birds chirping, the sun shining, not a hint of the storm clouds that seemed to gather around the district since the arrival of pair of particular Jusenkyo-cursed individuals.  The district was, in fact, starting to tie Juban for weirdness levels in _Weird Tokyo_.  Never heard of that particular magazine?  Its publisher graduated from Rutgers University and while there became a devoted fan of _Weird NJ_, a travel guide of sorts to local legends and general strangeness that inhabit the state of New Jersey.  _Weird Tokyo_ did the same thing for the many districts of Tokyo, from youma sightings in Juban to where to find the best martial arts fights in Tokyo—legal, pit, or otherwise.  And the weirdness fact was due to increase with the ward's newest resident.

A lone American Air Force officer was walking down the street, looking for a particular place to stay.  He'd just gotten off the train from Yokota, after having had heard about Nerima and it's urban legends.  Now, an American walking through Nerima is not, in itself weird.  But if one were to look at his eyes, they'd notice a silvery hue to them, with the pupils slitted like cat's eyes.  Of course, that's if one could get over the intense feeling of dread if they got too close to him.  On the flight line, the base's somewhat newest lieutenant managed to keep that aura damped down—having one's subordinates afraid of you, really wasn't the way to work.

In his hands, was a copy of the current classified ads.  Circled was an ad for modest room and board in the Furinkan section of Nerima at the Tendo Dojo.  Getting directions to the Dojo were quite easy.  The Tendos had been a fixture in the community since the Meiji Restoration, and their estate was one of the few buildings that survived the firestorms that swept through Tokyo after the American fire bombing offensives during World War II.  He found the walled compound fairly easily, and rang the chime.  He was about to ring it again, when the gate opened.

"May I help you?"  The young woman who answered the gate asked.

"Yes ma'am," he replied, in an archaic dialect of Japanese.  "I was wondering if Tendo Nabiki is in.  I'm inquiring about the room for rent."

"Nabiki is at school right now.  But the room is still available.  Please come in…" she paused.

"Pardon my lack of manners."  He bowed, before introducing himself.  "Christopher Marx."

"Tendo Kasumi," she replied, returning the bow.  Letting the American in, there was a bit of hesitancy between the two of them.

Marx looked at the young lady leading him into the house.  She moved with a martial artist's grace, although Marx was no student of the Art.  But there was something about Kasumi that captivated him; a gentleness that seemed the blow right through his mind.

"Father," she said to one of the men playing shoji, "this gentleman is here about Nabiki's ad."

Soun looked Marx over.  "Hm…Saotome, what do you think?"

"Doesn't look like a martial artist."

Marx interrupted.  "I've had some martial arts training as part of my military training, sir."

"So, you're an American soldier."

Marx turned to Soun.  "Yes sir; United States Air Force, 374th Security Forces Squadron, out of Yokota Airbase."

"Ah, good."  Soun's look turned deadly serious.  "I take it you're not like those soldiers who got in trouble on Okinawa?"

Marx's eyes narrowed.  "I hope those Marines and airmen that did what they did pay to the fullest extent of the law."

"Ah good.  I have no objections then.  When Nabiki gets home from school, you can settle the contract with her."  Soun called his eldest daughter back over.  "I am Tendo Soun, my friend Saotome Genma."  The overweight man in the gi nodded.  "Welcome to our household.

"Kasumi, please show Marx-san here the last spare bedroom."

"Hai, Father."  Kasumi motioned for Marx to follow her.  They walked down the hall to the next to last room in the house.  Sliding the door open, Marx entered.  "The futon and bedding is in the closet.  I hope you'll be comfortable here."

Marx smiled at his hostess.  "I'm sure I will be."

  
-----

As the eldest Tendo daughter and their new boarder left the veranda, Soun let out a suppressed shudder.  "My friend, did you feel…"

"I did Tendo.  Worse than when we were training with the Master."

"I have no idea how this will bode for the family."

  
-----

Marx returned later in a blue pickup truck, the bed loaded with several boxes.  Using a hand truck, he quickly unloaded the truck, except for his desk.  "Um, Kasumi, is there anyone who can help me with getting the desk out of back of the truck?"

"Certainly, Christopher-san," Kasumi said pleasantly.  "Ranma," she called.  "Can you help our new houseguest move in?"

"Yeah, I guess so," a mezzo-soprano voice answered.  The redhead that owned the voice walked into the kitchen.

Marx looked at her, a quizzical look on his face.  "Kasumi, she's going to help me?"

"Yes.  Oh, my.  Ranma, I guess you should change first."  Kasumi took the kettle for hot water and poured it over the redhead.  Ranma-onna changed to Ranma-otoko in the virtual blink of an eye.

Marx's eyes became as wide as saucers.  As they walked out to Marx's pickup truck, Marx said one word to the pigtailed martial artist.  "Jusenkyo?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

"I'll tell everyone at dinner tonight.  Let's just get this desk into my room."

"Hai, Marx-san."  The two men lift the desk out of the bed of the truck and carried it in.

Nabiki stood next to the open door, as the two wrestled the desk through the door.  "So, you must be our new tenant."

"Yes ma'am.  Christopher Marx.  I take it you're Nabiki" he replied.  She nodded in reply.  "Ranma, it's not going to work this way, without punching a hole in the wall.  Flip it on its side, and we'll work it in that way."

"Hai, Marx-san."  The teen and the lieutenant flipped the desk on its side and worked it around through the door.  They set the desk upright, and where Marx wanted it.

"Thanks Ranma."

"No problem, Marx-san.  Glad to be of service."  With that, the pigtailed martial artist headed off to get to do his homework.

Nabiki entered the room without Marx's permission and sat on his chair.  Marx raised his eyebrow at that, but said nothing, because at this point, it wasn't his room yet.  "There's the little matter of room and board—that's 150,000 yen.  But I also insist on a two months rent up front as a security deposit—that's 300,000 yen.  You're in the American military correct?"  Marx nodded, even as he was reaching for his checkbook.  "So you'll be here at least two years.  This time next year, we reserve the right to increase your rent by ten percent.  This is nonnegotiable, and I'll have the rental agreement and contract drawn up tomorrow."

"Agreed.  I assume that when I leave, I'll get my deposit back, yes?"  Marx wrote out two checks.  The first was for the security deposit, the second was for six months rent.  Nabiki could barely keep her eyes from bugging out when she did the conversion of dollars to yen.  Marx had just written her a check for 1 million yen.

Dinner that night was an interesting thing for the older Security Forces lieutenant.  Ranma and his father were fighting over the food on their plates.  As the families sat down, Marx was introduced to Akane.  Nabiki had yen signs in her eyes, and Kasumi had her usual fixed smile in place.  "So," Marx asked, as he deftly maneuvered his chopsticks past the fighting Saotomes, "how do your families know each other?"

"Genma and I trained together under the same Master when we were younger.  After we disposed…er, graduated, we agreed to unite the families."

"That's right.  Ranma, here is going to marry Akane…"

Genma was interrupted by a violent outburst from the youngest daughter.  "There's no way I'm going to marry that sex-changing perverted freak!"

"Akane, there's no reason to reveal…"

"It's quite alright, Father.  Christopher-san has already seen Ranma's curse."

"I've heard quite a bit about Jusenkyo."  Chopsticks paused in mid travel to their owners' mouths when Marx said that.  "I'd like to know how Ranma received such a curse."

"How did you hear about the Cursed Training Grounds?"  Soun asked, amazed that this American would know such a thing.

"When I graduated from the Air Force's Security Forces Academy, I was assigned to a six-month temporary assignment to a PLA Air Force training base in Qinghai.  Simply put, I was an observer to the Chinese Air Force's security training.  And I heard many a tale about the Bayankala mountain range.  I don't know how much of it was true or not, but since seeing Ranma change sexes, I think I can believe some of it."  _And they don't need to know about me, yet,_ he thought to himself.

 "It was the last months of our ten year training trip…" Genma leaned back and recounted the tale of how his son was cursed to become a girl.  "Oh, what Kami did I anger to cause my son to turn into a weak girl," he wailed.

Ranma glared at his father.  "So why didn't you tell him what you turn into Pops?"  He reached across the table and grabbed his father by the front of his gi, and threw him into the koi pond.  Genma-panda spat out a mouth full of pond water, and began growfing loudly.  "Suck it old man," Ranma shouted.  "I remember getting the first hit in.  You got a lucky shot in because I was startled."  Genma made an obscene gesture, which seemed to annoy the pigtailed teen.  Ranma leapt over the dinner table, and the Saotomes began a fresh sparring session.

Marx looked at the father and son fighting in the yard, and looked at the Tendos.  Akane was sitting there, fuming; Nabiki still had yen signs in her eyes.  Soun was back behind his newspaper, and Kasumi…his enhanced senses could tell that behind the smiling mask, there was a great pain; her gentleness hiding an iron core.  When she looked at him, their eyes locked if only for a moment.  "Allow me to help clean up," he said, as Kasumi started clearing away the dishes.

"You're a guest, I couldn't possibly…"

"I'm a tenant, not a guest.  I'd like to help."

"I…I…"

"Say 'Yes', Kasumi," the middle Tendo needled.  "It's not like our other houseguests really help out around here," she said, jerking her thumb at the battling Saotomes.

"I…I guess so," the eldest daughter said.

Marx smiled.  "Good," he said.  Of course, he had most of the dishes stacked in front of him anyway.  He picked them up, and carried them into the kitchen.  As they did the dishes, the two of them chatted about trivialities.

"If you will excuse me, Kasumi," Marx said.  "I have an even earlier morning than normal usual."

"Would you like me to fix you up a bento for lunch?"

Marx thought about it for a few moments.  Suffer the food at the mess hall, or eat Kasumi's outstanding food.  "Ah, if it's no problem…thank you.  It's just that I have to be up at three tomorrow."

"You're quite welcome, Christopher-kun, really.  Don't worry, I'll make it tonight for you."  Marx gave her a smile, before heading to his room, his futon calling him.

Crawling under the over the thin, traditional mattress, Marx lay looking at the ceiling of his room.  His mind was a whir with thoughts about the, for all intents and purposes, matriarch of the Tendo family.  That gentle about her would be the perfect thing for him.  Too many of his past liaisons were difficult to maintain for any length of time.  Except for his late wife.  Her death is what made the former NJ Army National Guard sergeant get his commission and return to active duty with the Air Force.

For the first time since China, the two recurrent nightmares that plagued the cursed lieutenant—the scenes from when he returned home from his National Guard summer camp, and found his wife brutally murdered, or when he received his curse—did not return.

  
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	2. Chapter the Second

**Disclaimer: 1) **the act of disclaiming; denial; rejection.** 2) **A person who disclaims.** 3a) **A statement denying responsibility for some act or condition. **B) **A clause in an agreement relieving one party of responsibility for carrying out certain provisions under certain circumstances.

Again, I'd like to thank John Tannius for his gracious permission to steal…er, borrow ideas from his fic.  Whereas Ranma is a copper dragon hatchling in that fic from falling into the same spring, our hero is…a bit more law-abiding.

I make no claims to owning any of the characters here, except mine.  I also have no money, so if you do try to sue, you ain't gonna get much.  By the way, flames will be used for cooking.

An American Dragon in Nerima 

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepclick._  An eye opened, and looked at the clock.  In happy red numerals it proclaimed to the world that it was three am, and time to get up.  Marx groaned, then hauled himself out of bed.  He flipped the light on, and cursed to himself in a language that hadn't been heard on Earth in quite some time as he blinked away the spots from his eyes.  Wrapping his bathrobe around his body, he grabbed his shaving kit and uniform, before heading to the furo, to bathe.

Making sure the occupied sign was in place, and the door shut, he began his predawn ritual of getting ready to face the world as an Air Force lieutenant.  Running the hot water in the sink, and lathering his face up as the furo filled, Marx looked at himself in the mirror.  The face that stared back at him wasn't the one that the rest of the world saw.  A long, silvery face, with a mouth full of long, sharp teeth looked back at him—his true form ever since he accidentally fell into the spring of Dai Ryuujin no Nishi and merged with the spirit trapped there.  His original personality and that of the dragon's meshed perfectly, and what memories did trade back and forth on the subconscious level told Marx that the dragon he'd become performed some of the same functions he did.  One of the first things the dragon taught himself, after learning how to walk again and fly, was his innate shape shifting abilities, so he could go on to his next assignment…Yokota Airbase.  Over the few months that he'd been in Japan, more memories unlocked themselves.  Memories of the dragon's human wife, a gentle wisp of a girl with a core of steel…finding her murdered, the blood spattered all over where they lived.  At some point, though, Marx wasn't sure where the dragon's memories and his memories had melded, if they had at all.

His public face freshly shaved, the lieutenant doused himself off with cold water, lathered up, and rinsed again, making sure that all the soap was off, before a quick soak to get the chill out of his bones, before getting dressed.  Dressed in the woodland BDUs that were the standard uniform of the Security Forces, Marx made his way to the kitchen.

A note from Kasumi, written in patient, and apparently rusty, English told their newest tenant that his bento was in the fridge.  Grabbing the box lunch, which had another note on it warning a certain panda that he would be force-fed Akane's cooking if he so much as touched this bento, Marx pulled on his boots, and left for work.  
  
------

Kasumi awoke, dressed and headed downstairs, to prepare for the morning routine.  Setting the kettle full of water on the stove to heat for their Jusenkyo-cursed houseguests, she looked at the clock.  "It's five.  I wonder where Christopher-san is?"  As she gathered the things for breakfast, she noticed that the bento she made for him was missing.  With his boots missing from the genkan, she made a logical conclusion that he was on his way to work.

She stepped out on to the veranda, and watched the sun rise, enjoying this moment of calm before the storm.  Which today wasn't long in coming, unfortunately.  A pigtailed blur came flying from the guest bedroom window, followed by a giant panda.

"Damnit, Pops," the redheaded girl shouted, "why do you have to do this every morning?"

[Because you're growing lax, here, boy!]  The panda "shouted".

"'Lax'?  I'll show you lax, Pops!"  With that, the redhead launched her attack at her father.

Kasumi smiled at the two fighting, like a big sister, but sighed.  "Akane has Ranma.  Ranma has the other girls.  Nabiki has…well, she's been sneaking out to see some one.  I wonder if it's that charming Kuno boy.  I wonder if I'll ever find someone."

  
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Marx was sitting in Security Control at Yokota, when a sneezing fit came over him.  "You all right sir," the flight sergeant asked.

"I'm fine, Sergeant Spirenburg.  Must have been some dust in the air."  He looked at the clock.  It wasn't even eight thirty yet.  _Day seems to be dragging.  And I'm sure the guys on the flightline feel the same way._  "Mike, let's go for a drive," Marx said as he stood and holstered his pistol.

"Sure sir."  The flight sergeant also stood, and grabbed his rifle.  They pulled out of the lot and headed for the flightline.  Yokota was primarily a transport base, so there were no fighters or bombers to worry about.  But that didn't mean there wasn't a specific level of security required by Air Force Instructions.  And cops tend to go stale if they don't practice what they were taught at the Academy.

Picking up the radio mic, Marx contacted Control. "Security Control, Security Five."

"_Security Five._"

"Control, I'd like to initiate a flight-level exercise."

"_Go ahead with exercise input, Security Five._"

"Control, Security Five.  Two individuals have blow through the main gate, and are on their way to the flightline.  04B1313 is simulating a Mitsubishi Fuso panel truck."  The exercise led off with a merry chase along the flightline and taxiways, through the various aircraft parking areas, and towards the actual aircraft, before the cops assigned to base patrol duty had set up a roadblock.  Both the Lieutenant and Master Sergeant were hauled out of the truck, handcuffed and searched.  Their vehicle was also given a hasty search, and that's when the airman searching the vehicle found the training explosive device.  Which would have detonated with all the radio traffic going back and forth, killing everyone.  Marx gave everyone good marks for the personnel searches, but low marks for not searching the vehicle after the suspects were on the ground and cuffed.

"Gentlemen, and ladies," he said, "this is why we conduct these exercises.  To make sure that nothing like this happens for real.  But other than that, it was a good exercise."  The cops involved in the exercise saluted their flight chief as he and MSgt. Spirenburg climbed into the Air Force Yukon and headed back on the road.

  
------

Walking through the gate, Marx wearily shuffled his way up the path to the house.  Balancing on one foot in the genkan, he took off his boots and slipped on his house slippers.  "I've really got to get lace-in zippers for my boots," he muttered.  

As the newest resident walked past the kitchen on his way to his room, he heard Kasumi call to him.  "Rough day at work?"

Marx stopped in the kitchen.  "No.  Just slow.  About the only thing that livened up the day was the exercise we ran."  He smiled at her.  "I 'killed' my flight with a training simulator."

"Oh my, that's horrible."  She gave their American tenant a disapproving look.

Marx shrugged, and gave her a sheepish look.  "Better they 'die' in training than in real life.  But they did do a good job up until they found the device."  He smiled at her.  "It's all good, Kasumi-san.  It was just an exercise."

"I…I see, Christopher-san.  I'm just used to listening to Ranma's fights with his friends and rivals."  Behind the mask of an oblivious homemaker, was an intellect that could rival the savviest detective.  She knew exactly what was going on between Ranma and his "friends".

Marx set his boots down on the floor, and sat on a stool.  "What's the deal with Ranma, anyway?  Besides Jusenkyo, what else is going against that boy?"

Kasumi sighed, and sat down next to the Lieutenant.  "That's really Ranma's story, but my father and his father promised to unite the two schools of Musabetsu Kakutou if they had children when they finished training with Grandfather Happosai.

"After taking his son on a ten-year training trip, which involved the curses that you saw last night, they showed up here almost two years ago…" Kasumi began to relate what she's seen going on since the Saotomes arrived on that rainy day.  The rivals appearing out of the woodwork, the kidnappings of her little sister, the fiancée mess.

Marx interrupted on the fiancée mess.  "Wait a second—in addition to being engaged to Akane, he has an Amazon 'wife', and two other engagements?  Who the hell did all this to him?"

Kasumi's face darkened for a moment, before clearing.  "His father," was all she simply stated.  

The panda in question shuffled in, and opened the refrigerator.  [Kasumi,] the signs began popping up.  [Is there anything to snack on?  I'm feeling a bit hungry.]

Her plastic smile back in place, "Of course, Saotome-san."  She reached around and pulled out a plate of bamboo.  "That's all we have for you right now."  Growfing under his breath, Genma took the plate of bamboo, still happy about being able to feed his stomach.  "Oh dear," she said, as she looked at the wall clock.  "I have to get dinner ready."  The sounds of the three teens still in high school coming through the gate could be heard in the distant background.

"And I want to get cleaned up before dinner."  Marx excused himself, and headed up to the furo, after stopping in his room, setting his boots down and grabbing his shaving kit.  

After cleaning off, he settled into the hot water, letting its therapeutic qualities soak out the aches and pains from wearing his duty gear.  It was a long day for him, not only because he was up while it was still dark, but also because Ranma and Akane had been arguing long into the night about P-chan.  Marx kind of figured out that P-chan was Akane's pet pig, but didn't know why the two teens would be arguing over something so trivial.  The heat of the water was soothing, and Marx could feel his eyes closing.  He gave in to his fatigue.

There was an opening of the outer door, a set of quiet footsteps, and the outer door sliding shut.  Marx had tuned out all of it, getting into such a nice, deep sleep.  That is until he heard humming coming from the changing room.  His eyes shot open, as the last splash of rinse water could be heard.  There were footsteps on the tile, closing on the door to the tub room.  In a panic, Marx's eyes swept the room for his towel—he'd left it on his uniform, next to his shaving kit.  Marx was out of the tub, lunging for a washcloth, as the door opened.

Kasumi's eyes tracked the movement, even as her hands reflexively moved to cover her privates.  Marx was covering his privates with just a washcloth.  Caught in such an embarrassing situation, they were both turning a bright red.  "Ah…ah…ah…" was all that came out of Marx's mouth.  Kasumi, didn't exactly trust herself to speak at that point, and slid the door closed with her foot.  Marx slumped against the wall.  On the other side, Kasumi did the same thing.

_Oh my_, she thought to herself.  She quickly put her robe back on, and tried to compose herself.  But somehow the image of their American tenant wouldn't leave her mind.  _Maybe I've kept myself repressed for too long._  The door slid open, and Marx walked out, in his bathrobe.  "Christopher-san…gomen nasai," she said, bowing low.  "I…I…"

"Kasumi, um…it was an…accident…that's all."  Marx said, waffling.  He, too, had been shaken up by the image of Kasumi's glistening wet skin.  And the two matching wet spots on her robe weren't helping him calm down at all.  He blushed again, and lowered his eyes.

The eldest Tendo quickly walked through the open door, and slid it shut.  Both of them were embarrassed to the core by what happened.  Marx quickly toweled off, and noticed that his physical training uniform was missing.  Sighing in frustration at the day's recent events, he grabbed his shaving kit and made his way to his room.  _Something is up.  I know that I had a pair of PT shorts and t-shirt sitting on the shelf with my stuff.  But she sure is cute._  

As he was walking down the corridor to his room, the sash on his robe loosened.  Which had an unfortunate consequence as Akane was walking towards the lieutenant.  Without even blinking an eye, or telling him that his robe was open, she automatically assumed he was one and shouted: "Pervert!"  Then grabbed her mallet and smashed Marx through the wall.

Marx flew through the thin wooden structure, and impacted against the stone privacy wall.  He was fortunate that he was no longer a normal human, since he didn't think he'd be able to survive the mallet hit, let alone the impact.  The Tendos and Saotomes had heard Akane's battle cry and looked outside, anticipating seeing Ranma knocked into the pond.

To say they were shocked to see Marx lying there, with barely a bruise, would be a gross understatement.  He staggered to his feet, and closed his robe.  Soun and Genma looked at the American officer, shock evident on their faces.  "How…how did…?" Genma asked, trying to figure it out.

Shaking the cobwebs from his head, Marx looked at the fathers.  "That…is a secret," he said.  He looked at the youngest Tendo, focusing his aura towards her.  "You, my dear, have a problem with your temper.  If you don't learn to control it, it will be your undoing."  With that, he unsteadily walked into the house, and finished walking to his room.  Akane stood there, rooted to the floor.

------

Dinner was a quiet affair.  The fathers were trying to figure out how a low level martial artist like Marx was able to survive Akane in one of her "Pound the Pervert" attack modes.  Nabiki had schooled her features, and was the epitome of calm.  Akane was glaring at Marx.  In her eyes, once a pervert always a pervert.  Ranma…well, the pigtailed martial artist was busy stealing food from his father's plate.  Both Marx and Kasumi were stealing glances at each other.  And this was not lost on Nabiki as well.

It seemed that helping Kasumi out with the dishes after dinner was becoming an accepted norm with their new tenant, while the teens did their homework and the fathers returned to the shoji board.  Once the dishes were away, Marx bid Kasumi a good night.

There was a knock on his door, as he was getting ready for bed.  "Come in," he called.

Kasumi entered the room.  "Christopher-san, I'd like to apologize for my sister.  She's really a good girl, but a violent maniac sometimes."

"She didn't have to hit me.  All she had to do was tell me my robe was open."

Kasumi lowered her eyes.  "I know.  It's just that she thinks that all men are perverts.  And tends to think with her fists, and not her head.  I…haven't been the best surrogate mother for my sisters…"

Marx knelt on his futon, and motioned for Kasumi to sit.  "What happened that put raising your family in your hands?"

Kasumi looked at the American sitting there.  For some reason she felt comfortable in his presence, like he was going to protect her against whatever ills there are in the world.  She didn't feel the fear, or uneasiness that her sisters and the fathers felt.  "Momma…died when I was nine.  Since then, I've had to put aside my dreams and run the family."

"I…see," Marx said.  "I didn't know."

"It's quite alright, Christopher-kun.  The residents of most of the ward know, but they've also known the family for many years."

"Kasumi," Marx looked at the young woman in front of him.  "Would you like to go out to dinner tomorrow night?"

Kasumi looked at Marx, her eyes wide in surprise.  "Christopher-kun…I don't know what to say…"

Marx smiled at her.  "Just say 'yes'."

"Oh, of course.  It's just that I haven't been asked out in…in a long time.  I'd be happy to go."

"Be ready at six."

"I will.  Sleep well, Christopher-kun," Kasumi said, as she left his room, a lightness in her step that hadn't been there before.

Kasumi knocked on Nabiki's door after leaving Marx's room.  When the middle Tendo opened the door, she noticed the sappy grin on her older sister's face.  "So what happened, oneechan?"

"Christopher-kun asked me out to dinner tomorrow night."  Nabiki arched an eyebrow up when she heard her sister call their only paying tenant so familiarly.  "Do you have something I can wear, Nabiki?"

Nabiki smirked.  "I think I might find something for you."  The financial whiz of the Tendos stood, and began rummaging through her closet.  She knew exactly what to let her sister wear, it was one of the few luxuries that Nabiki granted herself.  Deep in the back of the closet was a red halter-top dress that ended about mid thigh still in the dry cleaner's protective plastic.  

When Nabiki pulled it out, Kasumi's eyes went wide.  "I can't wear that, imouto-chan.  It's…it's indecent."

"I'm not done yet, sis," she replied, as she went back into the closet.  A few more minutes were spent looking through her limited collection of shoes and retrieved not only the matching 5" stilettos but also the matching shawl.  A wry grin on her face, she forestalled her sister's argument for a few more minutes, and went over to her dresser and pulled out the matching silk stockings.

"Nabiki!  I'm going to look like…like…"

"A real woman?"  Her sister answered.  "If you want, I can let you borrow the matching underwear."  Nabiki had a big smile on her face at her sister's discomfort, even though it pained her to see Kasumi reacting like this.

"No, I'll look like a…prostitute," she countered.

"Kasumi, when was the last time you went on a date?"

"Um…about five years ago," she said, a sad smile on her face.  Her responsibilities to her family took precedence over her social life.

"This could be the chance for your happiness, 'neechan.  Besides, he's the first paying tenant we've had.  At least since the human vacuum cleaners moved in.  His rent will help keep us in the black for some time to come.  I want you to look good."

Kasumi sighed.  "I guess so.  But I'm not wearing any of your underwear.  I've seen it, and that's just indecent."

"Alright."  _Besides, that's what I wore when I went out to that club and met…her.  Somehow I think 'neechan will have a good time._  Nabiki thought as her sister walked out of her room with the clothes.

  
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As the Amazons began closing up the Nekohanten for the night, the chimes jingled as the door opened then closed.  "We closed.  You come back tomorrow," Shampoo said to the cloaked figure.

"I would except Elderrr Lo Xian was most emphatic about my deliverrring herrr message."  The cloaked figure said, rolling her r's.  The hood of the cloak was thrown back.

"Tigar, what are you doing here?"  Cologne said, as she pogoed in from the kitchen.

"Elderrr Kuh Lon, I brrring trrroubling news.  Someone has fallen into the Spring of Dai Ryuujin no Nishi.  Jusenkyo is no longerrr currrsed."  The daughter of a mountain cat that fell into the Nyanniichuan said.  

"Blast it.  For generations, we've hunted down and removed whoever fell into that spring to protect themselves from the curse, and to protect the valley.

"Was the Guide interviewed?"

"Elderrr Lo Xian knew you'd ask.  The Guide was put to the question, Elderrr.  He said that the last perrrson to fall into the spring was an Amerrrican."

"Then this American fused with the spirit of the spring…This is going to be a most difficult hunt."

"That is why I am herrre, Elderrr—to assist in the hunt."  Tigar said proudly.

"I know you are the best tracker in the village, Tigar.  But this is an urban jungle, with rules of its own, girl."

"I underrrstand, Elderrr.  And I will be carrreful."  Tigar was always prideful of her skills as a tracker, more so because of her parentage.  In fact, if she were a full cat right now, her fur would be bristling at Cologne's apparent lack of faith.

"Then let us pray that we find the poor fool before the curse affects him any further."


	3. Chapter the Third

Disclaimer:  Ain't mine, don't own 'em.  Wish I did though.  Flames will be extinguished.

Again, appreciation goes to John Tannius for letting this poor fanfic writer borrow some of his ideas from _Dragon's Destiny_

The following afternoon, Marx pulled up to the Dojo in a government-owned sedan from the base.  The only thing that distinguished it from the rest of the fleet sitting on Yokota was the strobe lights on the dash and rear deck.  Dressed in his blue Class-A's he walked in the gate, and looked at his watch—ten minutes to six.  Other than Kasumi and the fathers, this was the first time the Tendo daughters and Ranma saw Marx in any type of duty uniform.  "Marx-san," Soun said formally, "You will show Kasumi a good time and not do anything…inappropriate, will you?"

"Tendo-san," Marx replied just as formally, "you have my word as an officer and a gentleman that nothing untoward will happen to your daughter.  But, you must remember, sir, she is legally an adult."

Soun was about to answer, when Nabiki cleared her throat.  "For those of you interested, here comes Kasumi."  All eyes turned on the second floor landing.  Standing there, nervous as a filly her first time in heat, was Kasumi.  She'd never worn stiletto heels before, but Ranma had shown her, albeit a little unsteadily at first, how to wear them.  Regardless, she was still hesitant as she walked down the stairs.

Marx looked at his date for the evening.  One word went through his mind, and he vocalized accidentally.  "Kawaii."

Kasumi blushed as red as the outfit she was wearing.  "Thank you, Christopher-kun.  You look quite dashing as well."  Marx nodded with a smile, and held his arm out.  Kasumi took it.  "Don't worry, Father.  I'll be fine."

Soun nodded, the tears starting to well up in his eyes.  "My little Kasumi's growing up.  I'm so happy," he said, as the Tendo Waterworks opened up for business again.  The couple dodged nimbly, not wanting their clothes to get soaked, as they headed out the door.

Marx opened the passenger door of the GSA car, and let Kasumi slide in, before walking around and climbing in as well.  He started the Oldsmobile up and pulled off the curb.  "Christopher-kun, how come you have a car tonight?  And why are you all dressed up?"

"I'm the duty officer tonight for the squadron.  So I signed out a vehicle.  Besides, I wouldn't want you on the subway tonight."  Marx navigated the cruiser on to the highway towards Yokota.

"You still haven't answered my second question.  Why are you all dressed up?"

"Base Armed Forces Day dinner-dance.  All officers are required to attend in dress uniforms."

Kasumi looked at him, a suspicious glint in her eye.  "You knew about this last night when you asked me out."

Marx pursed his lips.  "Yes I did.  I won't apologize for that.  But, before you get any angrier at me, it's not my fault."

"And how is this not your fault?"  The hurt look on Kasumi's face tore at the draconic Air Force officer.

"I was planning to blow the entire thing off for tonight's date. But sitting on my desk was both a reminder that I had duty officer, and that the base commander made tonight's function mandatory for all officers."

"Well…" she said.  "I give you the benefit of the doubt this time."  There was a hint of a smile in her voice.  "I'm sure that I'll have a good time."

The drive was continued in companionable silence.  Marx was trying to figure out how to break his secret to Kasumi, even as he navigated his way through the streets of Tachikawa to the former Imperial Army Air Force base.  The cops at the gate recognized the car, and just waved it through.

They arrived at the officers club, with the party was in full swing already.  "Marx," his squadron commander called, "who's the young lady with you?"

"Sir, this is Kasumi Tendo.  Kasumi, Captain Marc Schuler."  Kasumi bowed, as Captain Schuler put his hand out.  All three chuckled, at the usual East meets West confusion of protocol.

"Marx, why don't you and your date join our table?  We still have space."

"Thank you sir, that would be most kind."  

The night progressed, and light conversation was interspersed with the meals.  At one point, the DJ began playing a classic Glenn Miller tune, as a request from the 30th Airlift Squadron commander.  Marx smiled, and looked at Kasumi, when the opening notes of _In the Mood_ came through the loudspeakers.  "Would you care to dance?"

Kasumi nodded, slightly apprehensive, as her date took her hand and led her out to the dance floor.  The last time she danced was her last date, five years ago.  Marx led her through the dance, his feet remembering the steps.  Kasumi started to relax in his arms, her earlier anger about not being told why or where they were going melting away.  She could feel an inner strength about him, something that made her feel safe around him—that he would never harm her.  

She was saddened when the song ended, much to quickly in her opinion.  Leaning up, she impulsively gave her father's tenant a kiss on the cheek, then blushed a bright red when she realized what she did.  "Thank you for the dance, Christopher-kun.  It was wonderful."

"You're quite welcome.  I enjoyed it as well."  He replied as they walked back to the table.  The fact that it was hand-in-hand wasn't exactly lost on Marx's squadron commander or his wife.

"Marx, you've done your bit for the base commander.  If you and your date want to bug out, I have no problem with that."

"It is rather late, and I do hope Akane hadn't taken it in her head to cook dinner for the family."

"Thank you, sir" Marx said.  The couple walked away, arm in arm.

"They make such a cute couple," Mrs. Schuler said.  "I hope they stay together."

"So do I, Marge.  She looks like a good complement for the lieutenant."

On the road back to Nerima, Marx made his decision.  "Kasumi, I have something to tell you.  It's about my time in China."

"Oh," was all his passenger said.  _Oh dear,_ she thought, _he's going to tell me that he's been to Jusenkyo, has a curse and an Amazon wife, because he beat her in some martial arts competition.  But that's been pretty much the norm since Ranma and his father arrived._

Marx took a deep breath and let it out slowly.  "When my time was finished as an observer to the Chinese Air Force, I went on leave.  I went to Jusenkyo…"  
  
-------

With an accompanying crunch of gravel, the Chinese Army jeep that Marx had signed out from the motor pool slid to a stop.  He climbed out and looked around.  "So, this is the fabled 'Cursed Training Grounds of Jusenkyo'.  Doesn't look like much."  He lit up a Cuban Montecristo acquired at the PX.

The Guide came out of his hut and looked at the visitor.  "Oh, Mr. Customer, be very careful.  Springs too, too dangerous."  He called in pidgin English.

Marx walked over to the guide.  "I'm from the base nearby, but I'd like to know more about Jusenkyo."

The Guide's eyes went wide.  Here was someone who just wanted to know more about the springs.  "Springs created when Dai Ryuujin no Nishi die in first spring, creating Valley of Sorrows…" Both men walked among the springs, with the guide explaining the legends of each one.

When they reached the large spring in the center of Jusenkyo, the Guide told the story of the Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, of how the Valley of Jusenkyo was prosperous and peaceful while he lived there with his human wife, until the warriors from the West arrived.  The guide explained that his family had been holding the position since the cursing of the springs, to warn travelers about their evil, and the story might have been embellished over time.  But he also pointed out a mountain, backlit by the setting sun where the peak was a jagged stump.  "It is said, Mr. Customer, that that mountain is where Ryuujin found his wife slain by the invaders from the west.  Ryuujin went mad with grief, and erupted in anger, bringing down the mountain.

"He fought the invaders, and when he realized he was dying, with his last breath, he dove into the Spring."

Marx knelt there, entranced by the Guide's tale.  The Guide, positive that Marx wouldn't do anything stupid after having heard all one hundred tragic tales, left him there to prepare dinner for three.  As the valley was darkening, Marx stood and began walking back towards the Guide's hut.  He didn't make it two steps when the ground beneath him crumbled, and into the pool of water he went.

Plum heard the splash and came running out of the hut.  "Father," she called, "the Yankee fell in the Spring."

"And I thought Mr. Customer was smarter than that."  Grabbing a lantern he walked towards the central spring.

For the Lieutenant in the Spring, there was a sense of peace enveloping him, even as the his mind fought the magics trying to curse him.  Opening his eyes underwater, Marx saw a golden key glimmering in the twilight, hit by the sun's dying rays.  He swam down and reached for it.  As his fingers touched the object, all the springs began glowing.  One by one, starting with the newest springs first, they began to darken, as their magic leached back into the one being that created them in the first place.  

Marx's body began to shift and change as his body and mind merged into the being that was the Dai Ryuujin no Nishi.  The central spring began glowing, more brilliantly than the sun, before it was over.  The Guide and his daughter had to shield their eyes from the actinic brilliance coming from the central spring

Near Jusendo, near the Amazon village, from a window in the Musk Citadel, and near the source of the brilliance itself, five minds all thought the same thing: _Oh, my!_  As quickly as it appeared, the light faded out.  The Guide and Plum had to stop where they were, lest they fall into one of the springs, because of their sudden blindness.  After their eyes adjusted to the night again, they saw a silvery form standing next to the pool…  
  
-------

"I spent a few weeks extra in the province learning how to walk again, how to use my innate magic, how to fly.  As I'm sure he did with Ranma and Genma, the Guide tried to reverse my curse with hot water.  But it wasn't to be.  I retained my own identity, but I've also become the Dai Ryuujin no Nishi."

They were sitting in the car on the side of the Dojo.  The whole drive up from Yokota had kept the eldest Tendo daughter captivated, listening to the story.  "So now you are actually a dragon, hiding among the population as a human.  I find that somewhat hard to believe."

"Believe what you like, Kasumi-san, but I would only trust you with my secret.  You are a lot like my…his late wife.  Calm and gentle, but with a core of solid steel."

Kasumi looked him, a sympathetic look on her face.  "You almost said 'my late wife'."

"Sometimes, I can't differentiate whose memories I'm remembering."  Marx sighed.  "We both lost our wives to acts of violence.  Dai Ryuujin no Nishi's to the invaders from the west, which I think are the Amazons, but I'm not sure.  My wife…well that requires a little background.

"I joined the American Air Force, the first time, when I graduated high school.  It was something I always wanted to do—fly.  Well, I got assigned as a cop, which I didn't want to do, but I did anyway, although I opted for an early out at my previous active duty base.  I had planned on going into the Air National Guard…the Air Force's militia component, but my commander decided to terminate any potential for a continued career in the Air Force with my discharge.

"So I joined the Army National Guard…again, the Army's militia.  I served out eight years in a green uniform.  I liked some of the personnel in my unit, but I was never an soldier.  My heart was still in the Air Force.  But I was able to finish off my degree in history, all set to become a high school teacher.

"As a Guardsman, you have to serve two weeks a year, as annual training.  We had come back from our training up in Fort Drum, New York—a 14-hour drive in convoy from our home station in Teaneck, New Jersey.  When I got home, it was late, my cell phone was dead so I never got the call.  There was barrier tape, and police cars all in front of our house.

"From what the cops told me, there was a break in, and my wife was murdered.  They never found the bastard that did it.

"My wife…she was a fireball, but I loved her.  I spent a night at a hotel, and the next day, which was my last official day of Annual Training, I showed up late.  The unit understood.  But I had been talking to the Air Force recruiters.  I handed my commanding officer a request for release to active duty back with the Air Force, and was on a plane for the Security Forces Academy to relearn everything that had changed since my last stint as a cop.  And go to officer's training school, and get my commission."

"And you got your position at Yokota, because they had an opening?"

"Yeah.  Usually most overseas Air Force bases don't always have lieutenants in charge of flights, but Pacific Air Forces wanted to try something different at Yokota.  It's a pilot program, to see if officers in charge of flights would cut down on the number of military-civilian incidents.  And I've told my flight I have a no-holds barred policy when it comes to that.  You screw up and get caught, you will pay the piper.  Because, as I was taught at my first assignment the first time around, we are ambassadors for our country.  We are the ones the populace sees, not some political appointed ambassador living behind the Marines and a gated compound, only meeting with governmental officials."

Kasumi smiled at that.  "I hope you continue that policy."  She opened the door of the car and got out.  "Oh my, its two am!  You need to be getting up in an hour."

Marx shook his head.  "I took today off, although if they need me, I have to be available."  He hid a smile when Kasumi barely stifled a yawn.  "And you'll be getting up when, in two, three hours?"

Nodding, she replied, "Yes.  I don't think I'll be any rested in the morning."

Opening his service jacket and taking off his bowtie, "Duty officer's orders.  Sleep in.  Get a good night's rest, and we'll worry about it later."

"Christopher-kun," she said, "I would very much like to see what has become the real you."

"Your sisters and Ranma have school tomor…today, yes?"  Kasumi nodded.  "And we can send your father and his friend on a wild goose chase.  I'll show you when we're all alone.  This is something that I'd rather not let the general public know about."

"Hai, I understand."  She kissed him lightly on the cheek.  "Good night Christopher-kun."

"Good night, Kasumi-chan."


	4. Chapter the Fourth

Disclaimer:  Ain't mine, don't own 'em.  Wish I did though.  Flames will be extinguished.

Morning arrived at the Tendo in its usual, insane way.  With Ranma being thrown out the guest bedroom window by his father.  The two began their morning spar, dragging an extremely tired Nabiki out of bed.  "Do they have to do this every morning, Kasumi?  Kasumi?"  Nabiki walked into the kitchen and didn't see her older sister there.  "Dad?  Where's Kasumi?"

Soun was sitting at the dinner table, behind the paper and his toothbrush in his mouth.  "She said she got in late, and was going to sleep in."  

"I'll make breakfast," Akane said.  The families quickly scattered, with Ranma and Nabiki heading to school.  "What did I say?"

For the first time since the death of her mother, Kasumi let herself, or was even able to, relax in bed.  Every morning since the Tendo Matriarch's death, Kasumi was up before dawn, making sure that her sisters had lunch for school, the house was clean, the groceries and construction supplies for Akane purchased and put away.  Add in two more residents, who with the ability to eat like their namesakes, and her life became a bit of a living hell.  No vacations, no days off, no respect, always in the background.  That was the life that Kasumi had right now.

With the sun shining gaily into her room, the surrogate mother finally climbed out of bed and put her robe on before heading downstairs to make a cup of tea.  As she waited for the water to heat up, she thought about her lost opportunities.  Going to college when she graduated from Furinkan, and becoming a nurse, or even a doctor.  When he moved in and opened his practice, she'd developed a crush for Dr. Tofuu.  And even though she put up an oblivious act in front of everyone, Kasumi knew that the good Doctor has a problem whenever she was around.  It wasn't as if he was ever going to learn to control himself.

Pouring the hot water into the mug, and letting the leaves steep, she began thinking about last night and the past few days, when an American entered her life.  He had trusted her with a secret about himself.  No less dangerous than Ranma's secret, but, for fairly obvious reasons, didn't want the whole world to know.  If it was true.  Marx had promised to show her his true form while the teens were at school.  And he was still asleep.  His boots and dress shoes were still in the genkan, so unless he had to go to Yokota for some incident in his birthday suit, he was still probably in bed.  

Her face blushed when she remembered the incident the other day in the furo.  While the rice steamed, Kasumi decided to take a quick, reenergizing bath.  Someone had taken the "occupied" sign down, so thinking that their guest was out of the bath, she entered and prepared for her soak.  What a surprise it was to the two of them when she slid the door open.  And Marx was so kawaii as he stood there, stuttering.  And he was so…Kasumi crushed that thought, even though she felt like she was falling in love with the American.

Watching the koi pond, mug of tea in both hands, she felt a sense of peace she hadn't in a long time.  She acknowledged the new presence when she heard footsteps cross the threshold of her domain.  "Ohayo, Christopher-kun," she said.

Marx yawned.  "Good morning, Kasumi-chan."  He looked at her, the way the sun was shining through the window on her made him want to pull her into a long, passionate hug.  Part of his mind reminded the Lieutenant that he was a tenant, she the landlady, and it would be entirely inappropriate right now.  The other half pulled up memories of morning on a mountain in China, three thousand years ago, and a woman that was much like the young woman in front of him.  "Sleep well?"

Kasumi smiled at him.  Her smile was like a mega 64 ounce cup of espresso—it's wake even the dead.  "I did.  I slept quite well."  What she didn't tell him was that one of her pillows had become so deformed last night, because all she could do was think about him.  "Weren't you going to show me something this morning?"

"I was.  I'd rather do this outside."  He walked out the veranda, dropping his robe on the ground.  Kasumi blushed when he saw him there, naked as a jaybird again, but since Ranma showed up, she should have been used to a lack of modesty.  Marx began concentrating, and his form began to waver, like she was looking at him through water.  His body began to lengthen, his legs thicken, a tail appeared where none had been before.  After a few moments, the dragon that was their tenant finished his transformation by shaking out his leathery, bat-like wings.  Marx sat his haunches, his silvery scales glittering in the sunlight.

Kasumi resisted the urge to run up and grab him like a teddy bear, but just barely.  "Kawaii," she said, as she approached the mythological beast cautiously.  "Can I…" the rest of the statement was left unsaid, because Marx nodded his large broad head.  The eldest Tendo ran her fingers along his scales.  They were warm and smooth to the touch.  She chuckled when she heard a deep, throaty purr coming from Marx as her hands caressed him.  "You like that, Mr. Ryuu?"

"**Hai.  It reminds me so much…**"

"You needn't go any further, Christopher," Kasumi said as she wrapped her arms around his neck.  It felt sort of odd for her to have her tenant wrap his neck around her back, his warm breath seemed to excite this repressed homemaker, as he breathed in the jasmine of her shampoo.  

Marx closed his eyes and enjoyed the sensations he was getting.  They were the best of the dragon's original memories and his own memories.  "**Kasumi…I know we've only a few days, but…**"

"I know…" She was interrupted by the ground shaking, and a fireball appearing in the sky over Furinkan High.  Sirens began to wail in the background as the emergency services began responding to the high school.  "You better change back.  Akane, Nabiki and Ranma will be home soon.  And Akane'll probably overreact to you being in this form."

"**I want to exercise my normal form.  I get antsy if I'm cooped up to long in my public form.**"

"I understand.  Just be careful and don't cause any Ghidra warnings."

Marx smiled toothily at Kasumi.  For some reason, she didn't feel scared when he did it.  "**I'll try not to,**" he said with a throaty chuckle.  With a flutter, he stretched his wings and launched himself into the air with a powerful thrust of his haunches.

Kasumi watched him lift off and fly out of sight to the west, wondering what it'd be like to ride him bareback…and blushing at the ecchi double meaning of her thoughts.  And was greeted by the sight of a red and black blur landing in the koi pond.

"Kawaiikune tomboy.  Always hitting me with that damn mallet," the redheaded martial artist muttered as she climbed out of the pond.  "Hiya Kasumi.  You got any hot water ready?"

Kasumi nodded, and composed herself.  "Of course, Ranma-kun," she said, walking back into the house.  She returned a few moments later, with the still warm kettle of water, and poured it on the aquatransexual.  "What happened at school today?"

The now-male pigtailed martial artist rolled his eyes at the eldest Tendo.  "Akane…that's what happened."

"Oh?"

"She can add chemistry to what she can't do.  We were supposed to make dinitrotoluene, but she kept it on the burner too long, and it synthesized into TNT, before it exploded.  Took out the science labs…and with the gas still on, the whole science wing of the school."

"I'm sure it wasn't her fault, Ranma.  You know she tries so hard at everything."

Ranma shook his head.  "No…it was her fault this time.  I was her lab partner.  Heck, I even told her that it was on the burner too long.  But she didn't want to listen to me.

"Of course, the school's closed until the school board can stage a Martial Arts Construction match."  Ranma started laughing.  "It was a funny sight to see Principal Kuno running around, with that little palm tree on his head burning." Ranma, even though he's not the brightest bulb in the box, noticed that Kasumi was still in her robe.  "Um, Kasumi, how come you're not dressed yet?"

"Oh.  I woke up only a little while ago.  I wanted to sleep in this morning."

"I was wondering why you didn't make breakfast.  Akane almost did, but we convinced her otherwise."  Kasumi smiled at her sister's fiancée.  "Where's Marx-san?"

"He should be back in a few moments."  And true enough to her words; there was a leathery whisper in the background.  Marx settled on to his haunches in the yard and looked around.

"**Um…sorry about this,**" the dragon said when he saw Ranma sitting there.  He quickly returned to his "normal" form, and grabbed his robe. 

"Can I assume you were at Jusenkyo," Ranma asked.

Marx nodded.  "If you'll excuse me, I'm going to take a bath and get dressed before everyone else shows up."

  
-------

Over the coming few months, a few changes were taking place at the Tendo Dojo.  So that he would be able to access his files from the server on base, Marx had a broadband connection brought into the house, much to Nabiki's pleasure.  She had been taking a web design class at Furinkan, and was able have her site published, before she graduated.  Marx also took the time to tutor Ranma.  With his degree in History, and Certification as a Secondary School history teacher, Marx tried to make that subject fun for him, relating specific battles, particularly of Japan's feudal era.  For his physics classes, he brought him down to Yokota several times to talk to the pilots, particularly the Huey pilots.  Also throw in the fact that Marx is a native English speaker, he was also able to help both Ranma and Akane with that language, much to the ire of Hinako-sensei.

During that time, Kasumi and Marx were growing closer.  The two of them went out on several occasions to dinner, the movies, or just do the tourist thing downtown.  This frustrated Tigar's search for the Dai Ryuujin no Nishi.  Because she would pick up the scent, and have it disappear into the subway system, at a bus stop, or the train station, the Amazon tracker would return to the Nekohanten frustrated and upset.

It was a dark and stormy afternoon, one day towards the beginning of the new school year.  The families had, at Kasumi's urging gone out to dinner and a movie.  And because of the weather, the wind howling, and the rain lashing against the roof tiles, the trains were running slower than usual.  So it was a soggy and bedraggled Marx that entered the house, thanking the Kami that his curse was a permanent curse, but also cursing a certain LTC Cordano for causing…an incident on the flightline.  "Taidama," he called, as he unzipped his boots and slipped them off. Not receiving an answer, suspiciously Marx made his way through the corridor from the entry hall.

The dining room was lit only by candles, with a note on the table, asking him to get cleaned up and ready for dinner.  The note also said that his shaving kit and clean clothes were in the furo, waiting for him.  Noticing that it was written in Kasumi's elegant script and there were enticing aromas assaulting his nose from the kitchen, the draconic lieutenant smiled, and quickly headed for the furo, making sure the "Occupied" sign was up on the door.

He quickly lathered and rinsed off the day's accumulated sweat and grime, and took a quick soak in the furo, luxuriating in the hot, almost too hot, water.  He didn't want to leave the tub, but the way that those aromas were causing his mouth to drool, reminded him that someone was preparing a special dinner.  As he stood at the sink shaving, he noticed a formal dark blue kimono—almost as dark blue as his dress pants—with a lightning bolt and cloud design worked into it with silver threat, in the mirror.  For Kasumi to have had it done, must have cost her a significant amount of money.  Rinsing his face one last time, he pulled a clean pair of boxers on, and reached for the kimono...

  
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_A westerner, quite possibly the first in __China__ at the time of Emperor Zhou Xuan Wang, paced the apartments awarded him by the Emperor.  Not only did his height make him eminently recognizable in the capital of Leyi, but his silvery hair did as well.  Not gray, but like the silver thread used by the Empress's dressmakers.  Only the Emperor and his Prime Minister knew the reality of the _gaijin_ in the court—a silver dragon as old as time itself, if being only a thousand could be called "being as old as time itself".  Calling himself only "Yin Zi", he acted as a low level functionary to the court.  But in their discussions, they referred to him as the Great Western Dragon._

_He was pacing, because he was to meet the Emperor's eldest daughter for the first time.  They had seen each other in passing in the Imperial Palace, and he had become captivated by her.  She exuded this air of calm, and felt no desire to marry any of the suitors that found their way to her.  For that, she let her youngest sister handle the suitors…_

_There was a knock at the door, pulling Yin Zi from his reverie about her.  "Yes," he called._

_"Her Highness will see you," a maid probably no older than 12 or 13 called._

_Yin Zi slid the door open, and walked out into the corridor.  "You may take me to your mistress."  The young maid nodded, and led the silvery-haired functionary to a secluded garden.  Soldiers of the Imperial Guard patrolled discretely in the halls bordering the open area.  Several maids and the Princess's governess stood or sat as chaperones.  The dragon in human guise bowed deeply at the waist.  "Your Highness," he said, "I thank you for this opportunity."_

_The Princess rose from her chair, and took his hand.  "No, Master Yin.  I thank you for requesting this opportunity.  Let us speak plainly, as my father's subjects do."  Her governess made a noise, which sounded like the start of a rebuke, but was cut off when the Princess looked at her sharply.  "Master Yin, you may call me Peng.  And please, rise, and look at me."  There was amusement in her voice, and a smile on her face as the Westerner did as he was bade._

_Yin Zi took in the sight before him.  Peng's long chestnut hair hung in a loose ponytail pulled over her shoulder.  It was as he had seen of her from afar.  "Mistress, your beauty and demeanor have captured me in a way women from my homeland have not.  And I thank you for this opportunity again."_

_"As has this air of mystery surrounding you, Master Yin, captivated me; intrigued me.  You are a low level flunky in my father's court, yet there have been times where you, my father, and the Prime Minister have been in closed conference._

_"Your name is another example.  'Yinzi', silver, is obviously some reference to your hair and eye color.  Which I assume is natural to your people?"_

_The dragon chuckled.  "No, Mistress, I am unique among people."  _In more ways than one, _he thought.  "I adopted that name when I came east from my homeland, after traveling many months.  Given my hair color, it seemed appropriate…"_

  
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Marx shook his head, clearing out his thoughts.  It was a memory from the dragon crossing over…he slipped on the kimono and secured the obi, before leaving the furo and slipping back down to the dining room and knelt at the table.  

Kasumi noticed he'd entered from kitchen and began bringing in the dinner.  "Is everything Christopher-kun?"  She asked, as she served dinner.

"H-hai," Marx said, still off-kilter from the memory unlocking.  "Just some things that had worked themselves loose."    Taking the formal ivory chopsticks in hand, he tasted the first course.  "Excellent, as always, Kasumi."

"Thank you, Christopher-kun," she said with a slight blush on her face.

Conversation through the meal was light, and always complimentary.  Marx explained what the delay was on base.  It had been a wing down day, which meant everybody but Security Forces were off.  The squadron commander for the 459th decided he wanted to take a look at his birds.  And that annoyed the cops, particularly since he forgot his identification badge.  He was tackled, handcuffed, searched—none to gently—and finally identified.  And when he was released, laced into the cops for doing their job.  At this point, Marx got involved, and laced into the Colonel, for berating the flight for doing its job.  A bit of the dragon crept out, and the Lieutenant Colonel's demeanor changed rapidly.

Kasumi smiled at appropriate points in the tale.  She cleaned the table, after motioning Marx to remain there.  She returned with the formal tea service, and began the preparations there at the table.  A glimmer of a memory of a similar ceremony in Leyi came to the forefront of the Lieutenant's mind.  Marx followed the ceremony as he was shown by Kasumi.  "Christopher-kun," she said, as they finished the ceremony, "these past few months have been wonderful."

Marx reached across the table and took her hand.  "I know.  I've enjoyed our time together too."

"Christopher-kun, I just wanted to say that…"

There was a crash and in a dulcet mezzo-soprano was Ranma shouting at her father.  "Get offa me, Oyaji!  Baka Panda!"


	5. Chapter the Fifth

Disclaimer:  Ain't mine, don't own 'em.  Wish I did though.  Flames will be extinguished.  And in case you missed it the first three times ideas have been borrowed, with permission from John Tannius' _Dragon's Destiny_.

Marx reached across the table and took her hand.  "I know.  I've enjoyed our time together too."

"Christopher-kun, I just wanted to say that…"

There was a crash and in a dulcet mezzo-soprano was Ranma shouting at her father.  "Get offa me, Oyaji!  Baka Panda!"

Marx rolled his eyes.  "So much for a quiet evening at home," he muttered.  Kasumi smiled and nodded in agreement.  "Kasumi, I love you too."  He leaned across the table and kissed her.

Kasumi blushed brightly, and kissed back.  There was a flash of a camera going off.  Soun pulled the Air Force lieutenant into a bear hug.  "Oh, happy day!  Happy day!  My little girl's growing up!"

Marx was being squeezed to death by his landlord.  "Father," Kasumi said, "he needs to breathe.  Besides, it's not like her proposed to me."

"I'm sorry, daughter," Soun said as he let go of Marx.  The lieutenant gasped and coughed, trying to regain his breath.  "I'll leave you two alone."

  
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As Kasumi and the Lieutenant were cleaning the dishes, as was their after dinner activity, far to the east, and a few islands north of Guam, a long dormant volcano began belching out smoke.  The natives, relatively civilized, remembered the tales woven at night by the chieftain's family about the only way to appease the volcano god was to sacrifice virgin females, between 16 and 19.

Rounding up two score young virgins (which is most of the unmarried population); the villagers place them in a small stone "castle" to await their sacrifice to appease the "god".

Unbeknownst to the villagers, the volcano "god" is a red dragon, waking up from a millennia-long nap.  Sniffing the air, the dragon took in two scents—one was closer and more immediate, the other older, but no less significant.  "**So, after all this time, my old friend, you are finally awake.**"  Sniffing the air again, she rumbled "**But first, a snack.**"

Amid the screams coming from the "castle", there was the lighter sound of bones crunching, as the villagers prayed for salvation from this blight.

  
-------

Marx shot awake, at the feeling of someone dancing on his, or his, grave.  In friendly red letters, the clock proclaimed 230 in the morning.  For whatever reason, he was pulled from a perfectly…perverted dream that involved him, Kasumi and a can of whipped cream.  _Ok, something is not right.  When was the last time I felt this way?  Oh yeah, it was the night of my big final exam.  But it's not on the same level._  A remembrance slammed into Marx's mind.  A fight between two wyrms, over what is now Tibet, raging for several days between a silver male and a red female.  A battle that didn't end until the red dragon escaped into a blizzard.  He climbed out of his futon, and threw a robe over his pajamas before heading down to the kitchen.

"Couldn't sleep," Kasumi asked, as the kettle began to steam.

"Had a lot of things on my mind," Marx replied.  His sleep-addled mind noted that Kasumi was in her nightgown and robe.  "What about you?"

"I…I had some things on my mind as well."  She poured the hot water, fixing a cup of tea for the both of them.  "Christopher-kun, you're a dragon now."  Marx nodded.  "And don't dragons live for thousands of years?"  He nodded again, as he sipped his cup of tea.  Kasumi had a sad look on her face.  "So you'll still look like you do, even when I'm old and decrepit."

Marx pulled his girlfriend into a hug, letting her cry out her fears and tears.  "The person I love…that I give my heart and all to will age with me.  Right now, I'm the equivalent of a teenager.  But because of my human heritage, I'll mature faster than any of my kin.  And any of our children will share those traits.

"Let me tell you a story, about my…the dragon's first love, Peng Xuan Yang."  They settled down in the living room, on the couch.  Marx pulled a blanket over the two of them, before he began.  "It all started really about four thousand years ago, with the birth of a silver dragon in what is now Switzerland…" Marx wove a tale for his love that spanned over a thousand years, and several thousand miles.  Kasumi had snuggled in, resting her head against Marx's shoulder, as he told his not-so-tragic tale, including the fight with the female red dragon, Firespur.  He wove the tale of how Peng was the eldest of three sisters, but had no interest in court intrigue, or marrying any of her suitors; how she was content to just be in the background, even as she was to cement the line of succession; of how Yin Zi, which was what the dragon called himself, met Peng.  He told of their wedding, and exile to the west, far from the lands of the Zhou Dynasty, the valley of Jusenkyo, and brought peace to the valley and allied with a race of bird-people that lived on Mt. Phoenix.  In even more intricate detail, Marx told Kasumi how in the last year of Yin Zi's father-in-law's reign, a tribe of warrior women arrived from the west; of how, at first they peacefully coexisted with the non-aligned villages, the Phoenix and Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, but when the old Matriarch died, the new one decided that the warrior women needed living space and began a crusade against the villages and Phoenix.  The villagers came together as a nation and elected Yin Zi as their ruler.  Marx told of how talks for a peace treaty turned into a deception, and led to the death of Peng to try to humble the upstart male dragon.  He told her the last memory of the dragon, of cursing Jusenkyo and plunging into the first spring.

Marx told the woman that he was willing to protect, to die for, that he had come to love, of how their personalities merged and blended, and became one creation—neither wholly dragon, nor wholly human.

So involved with the story were the two that they didn't hear the front door open, or see Nabiki slip by, dressed in her favorite red dress, the one she let Kasumi borrow for her first date with Marx, her lipstick smeared and hair mussed up.  _Last time I spend most of the night in a love hotel with her,_ she thought idly, not for the first time.  
  
-------

"They look so cute together.  Don't you think so, Tendo?"

"Hm.  That they do, Saotome.  If only our children could be like that."  The Tendo patriarch looked at his friend.  "I have an idea…" And in hushed tones outlined his plan to get Akane and Ranma together to his friend.

"I think that would work, Tendo.  We'll just have to do it when the Lieutenant is at work."

"It'll be Soun's…"

"And Genma's…"

"Operation Get'em Together!"  Both men did a little victory jig in the living room."

"Daddy," Kasumi said sleepily, "I'm trying to sleep.  Can't you and oji-san be a little quieter?"  She snuggled up closer to Marx, who was sound asleep, with his head back.

Nabiki came staggering into the living room, looking the worse for wear, toothbrush still in her mouth.  "Well, they certainly look cozy," she said.  "I wish I had my camera."

Marx rolled his eyes open when he heard Nabiki's comment.  "Um…" He nudged Kasumi.  "I think it's time we got up."

She yawned and stretched.  "H-hai, anata."  A few eyebrows went up at that.  "I'll go get breakfast ready."  Kasumi moved towards the kitchen, as Marx rubbed the sleep from his eyes.

He looked around, and noticed the fathers dancing a jig, Nabiki had an all-knowing smirk on her face, and the two engaged teens were nowhere to be found, all though "Ranma, hold still so I can smash you," could be heard being shouted from the Dojo.  "Good morning," Marx said as he folded up the blanket and put it away 

Kasumi came out of the kitchen, a steaming mug in hand.  "Here you go, Christopher-kun.  I thought a mug of coffee would wake you up better than tea."  Marx took the mug as she kissed him on the cheek.  "Thank you for that wonderful tale last night.  Breakfast should be ready soon."

As Marx sat on the edge of the porch, sipping his coffee, he was approached by Nabiki.  "So, Marx, what was the tale that you told my sister last night?"

"Ancient Chinese mythology," was Marx's only reply.

"Yeah, sure.  Since when are you an expert on the subject?"

"One word, Nabiki—Jusenkyo."  Marx was feeling his ire climbing, and really wanted to teach this insolent pup a lesson, but to do so would probably upset Pen…Kasumi.

"So, you were there?  What spring did you fall into?  Yeti riding bull carrying crane?  Cat?  Virtuous Man?"  Nabiki was having a grand old time.  "Let me guess, One Eyed One Horned Flying Purple People eater?  And if you fell into one, why haven't I seen you get hit with cold water once?"

Marx set his mug of coffee on the porch.  Ranma had come out of the Dojo when he smelled breakfast cooking.  Fixing his gaze at Nabiki, the draconic lieutenant simply stated: "There are things in this world that you shouldn't question, young lady.  One of those things, after living with Ranma and his father for the past two years, with the craziness that goes with them, is the existence of magic.

"As for the spring I fell into, all I will tell you is that I fell into the first, the very first cursed spring.  And as to why you've never seen me get hit with cold water is because I am in my cursed form right now."

  
-------

It was unfortunate, or fortunate, that a certain Amazon tracker was walking by the Tendo Dojo at that moment.  All scents led to this location, but she'd never been able to find the source of it.  "_As for the spring I fell into, all I will tell you is that I fell into the first, the very first cursed spring.  And as to why you've never seen me get hit with cold water is because I am in my cursed form right now._"  She turned tail and ran back towards the Nekohanten.

"Elderrr Kuh Lon!" She shouted as she threw open the door to the still closed restaurant.  "I've found him!  I've found Dai Rrryuujin no Nishi.  He's staying at the Tendo Dojo."

The diminutive Matriarch pogoed out from the kitchen.  "The Tendo Dojo, you say?  This warrants a look, I think.  Tigar, I want you to watch the Dojo at all times.  We do nothing until the reinforcements I am going to request get here.

"Mu Tzu, Xian Pu," Cologne shouted up to the apartments above the restaurant.  "Get down here!"  The other Amazons came down the stairs as quick as lightning.  "We are going to keep a watch on the Tendo Dojo…"

Shampoo interrupted.  "What Airen do now, Great Grandmother?"

Cologne gave her great granddaughter a dry chuckle.  "It's not what Son-in-law has done, but what another resident of the Dojo has done.  How much do you remember of your history, Xian Pu?"

She thought for a moment, before slipping into the Jusenkyo-accented Mandarin.  "Three thousand years ago, our ancestors fled bondage of evil men and traveled many thousands of miles to reach a safe haven for our people.  Ancestors found a peaceful valley, and settled there.  But an evil dragon grew greedy and declared war on our people.  Amazons fight many and long battles against minions of the dragon.  

"The dragon tricked great Matriarch Rol Lon during peace talks, and kill self, cursing valley with his last breath."

Kuh Lon nodded, as her heir recited the story told to many a warrior, but there were secrets hidden within secrets.  That the rulers of the Musk were direct descendents of the dragon and his ensorcelled human wife, and the Phoenix had been held in thrall by the dragon.  "Thanks to the report that Lo Xian had Tigar inform me of, Jusenkyo is no longer cursed.  That means that the poor fool who fell into the spring has merged with the spirit, and to prevent another long and bloody war, we need to strike first.  But first, we need information.  Such as where Dai Ryuujin no Nishi is during the day.

"Tigar, go and take the first watch on the Dojo.  Mu Tzu, you will take second watch; Xian Pu, third."  The three Amazons nodded, and the tracker left the restaurant.  "You two, I do not want any of your usual antics regarding son-in-law.  As of right now, the kiss of marriage is suspended, not revoked Xian Pu.  Mu Tzu, Saotome is to be considered off-limits.  Any hint of vengeance against him, and you will be punished.  Do I make myself clear?"  The two younger Amazons nodded.  "Very good.  We have a restaurant to get ready to open."

  
-------

Nabiki was dumbfounded.  "So wait a second.  You're telling me that you fell into a Jusenkyo spring, and you are in your cursed form now?  What'd you fall into, the Spring of Drowned Boy?"

Marx chuckled.  "If I did, Nabiki, I wouldn't look like such an old man."

"I think the silvery hair makes you look distinguished _anata_.  Not old." Kasumi said from the kitchen.

"Thank you, Kasumi," Marx said.

"All right, what did you do to my sister, pervert?"  Akane asked, her instrument of feminine retribution in hand.

Marx let his gaze move from Nabiki to Akane.  "I have treated her with the utmost respect and courtesy.  Not as a serving girl, expected to have everything ready on a moment's whim.  You should take a lesson from your older sisters, Akane, not everything comes for free, nor is everything easy.  I've seen the results of your cooking, and frankly even with my cast-iron constitution, I'd get indigestion."  Ranma stifled a chuckle when his "loving" fiancée fixed him with such a look.  "Recipes are written for a reason, Akane-san.  They do not need modifications, unless you want to experiment when you are more experienced."  Marx gave her an evil grin, one that made the youngest Tendo shudder; one that said "Cross me, and you're lunch."  "Chemistry experiments are not to be modified at all.  Otherwise, it will blow up in your face."

"It wasn't my fault that chemistry experiment failed.  If it wasn't for Ranma interrupting me…"

"Hey, how was it my fault that you were so busy talking to Yuka and Sakura that you weren't paying attention to your test tube?"

"Well…it just is!  Everything's been your fault since you and your father got here."  Akane started to swing.  For the first time in the two years that Ranma had been subject to any form of Akane's tools of feminine retribution, he ducked.  Akane overextended in her swing, and fell flat on her face.  

Ranma smiled and turned his back on his fiancée.  As he walked off the veranda, Akane had gotten up, and managed to swing and clock him with the mallet.  The pigtailed aquatransexual went flying into the koi pond.  Spitting out a mouthful of water, and a small koi, she turned to her fiancée.  "What did you do that for, you uncute tomboy?"

Akane turned and stormed off, in a fit of rage.  Marx just sighed, as the fathers rounded on the boy turned girl.  "So much for a quiet Saturday at home," he muttered.

Kasumi sat down next to him, and placed her head on his shoulder.  "I know.  As much as it's been interesting since Ranma and his father moved in, I would like a weekend where nothing happened.  No fights, no arguments, no kidnappings."  Ranma was busy "sparring" with the fathers, Nabiki had disappeared, and Akane could be heard in the Dojo.  And there was a little black piglet wearing a spotted bandana glaring daggers at Ranma.

"Kasumi, you told me the first full day I was here that Ranma had an Amazon 'wife'."  She made what sounded like an affirmative noise from his shoulder.  "Crap.  Then I've endangered you and your family if they find out that I am here."

"Why do you say that, Christopher-kun?"  

"Because if they haven't changed since Rol Lon became matriarch, then they're going to want to either kill me or enslave me," Marx said, as he rubbed the bridge of his nose.  Before his change, he'd have to push his glasses up out of the way, but since Jusenkyo, he lost the need for corrective lenses.  Of course, he still had to basically defocus his eyes to see something right in front of him, but it's become second nature.  "This curse just keeps getting better and better," he muttered.

  
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	6. Chapter the Sixth

Disclaimer:  Ain't mine, don't own 'em.  Wish I did though.  Flames will be extinguished.  Thanks to John Tannius for letting my borrow ideas from _Dragon's Destiny_.

_Beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep…click._  Monday morning arrived bright and early for the draconic lieutenant.  His three day break had been an anxious one, with him constantly watching his back for the Amazons.  He had the feeling that someone was watching him as he went about his business in the ward.  He quickly got cleaned up and before leaving, slipped into Kasumi's bedroom, his BDUs blending in with darkness in the room.  Marx smiled at the sleeping Tendo, before kissing her gently on the cheek.  "Be careful, beloved," he whispered in her ear.  As quietly as he slipped in, he slipped back out, grabbed his lunch, and headed for the train station to catch the early express to Tachikawa.

Mu Tzu followed the American from as far back as he could, and noted the train destination and what Dai Ryuujin no Nishi was wearing, before heading back to the Nekohanten to report it.  
  
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"Tachikawa, you say," Kuh Lon said.  "Hm…and you say he was wearing an American combat uniform?"  The near-sighted Hidden Weapons Master nodded.  Kuh Lon took a thoughtful pose on her staff.  "This does not bode well.  If that is the case, then Dai Ryuujin no Nishi is an American soldier.  To kidnap or kill him might cause the Americans to consider our tribe in the same category as a terrorist organization."

"Perrrhaps, then a diverrrsion, Elderrr, so that the authorrrities believe that Dai Rrryuujin no Nishi was taken by anotherrr orrrganization," Tigar suggested.  "Even a terrorrrist orrrganization based here in Japan."

Cologne thought about it.  To have the Great Western Dragon in the tribe would be a boon and a source of strong children—enough so that the Joketsuzoku Amazons would become the dominant tribe in Jusenkyo, and possible strong enough to rival Beijing.  "We'll try diplomacy first.  If that doesn't work, we'll abduct whomever he is closest to in the Tendo family."

Tigar looked at the diminutive matriarch.  "That would be the eldest Tendo daughterrr, Kasumi I believe herrr name is. I've noticed that ourrr tarrrget spends most of his time with herrr."  Cologne nodded.

Shampoo looked at her great grandmother, and voiced an objection.  Someone had to play Devil's Advocate, after all.  "You know that would never work, Great Grandmother.  Look at what happened when Saffron and Kirin took Akane.  Airen went after them and defeated them.  He killed Saffron, Great Grandmother!  Do you think kidnapping whoever the dragon is close to will bind him to us?  How many battles will we have to fight, Great Grandmother, to win this?"  Even if she acted like the over-developed airhead around Ranma, and kept her intellect hidden from her grandmother, Shampoo was not a stupid warrior.  When she was supposed to be chasing after her airen, she spent time in the library while Ranma was in school, surfing the Internet, reading the doctrine of potential adversaries.  Two of the websites she found to be of great interest were the American Defense Department's digital libraries and "fact sheets", and the PLA's doctrine library.  "If we go to war with the evil dragon, what will prevent Beijing from interfering in our war?  And if they can't handle us, Beijing would most definitely ask for assistance from Western powers.  And if it comes down to it, Great Grandmother, all it would take is one bomb, and the three thousand years of Amazon traditions are gone in the blink of an eye.

"Do we really want the Joketsuzoku to become a myth?  For our village to suffer the fate of Hiroshima and Nagasaki?"

Cologne fixed her heir with a stern gaze.  "Xian Pu, we are Amazons, we do not fear death.  But you raised some very salient points.  You are becoming more and more a true warrior.  But do not shirk this responsibility that we have maintained for the past three thousand years to protect the world from Dai Ryuujin no Nishi and his evil predilections.

"We are going to try to reason with the Tendo family first, then the poor fool who's become the dragon.  If neither option works, then we will play our final card, and kidnap whomever he is closest to.  Then he should see the reason for what we are doing and why we are doing it."

Shampoo nodded, for once not trusting her great grandmother and matriarch in matters for the Amazon nation.  Even though the lavender-tressed Amazon would never admit it to her, her great grandmother may be a superb martial artist, but her worldview was limited to what she was taught when she was a young girl, when the world was a lot bigger then.  But since after Saffron's defeat, the Amazon suitor of Ranma had become much more of a realist.

  
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Marx spent most of his day, if no longer feeling that someone was watching him, suffering from this overwhelming sense of dread.  Some of it was confirmed when he stopped in the squadron offices.  "Marx," Captain Schuler called, "can I see you for a moment?"

"Sure.  What's up, sir?"  He asked, as he closed the commander's door behind him.

The affable squadron commander looked at his day shift flight chief.  "Marx, since you've been here, your flight has been proving General Marshall's pilot program.  Your number of military-civil incidents is the lowest in Japan.  Your number of security incidents, on the other hand, is the highest in the theater.

"Of course there is this complaint from Colonel Cordano about how your troops physically and verbally abused him."

"Sir, the Colonel is a tight-assed…"

"No need to go any further, Marx.  I've read your report, and I know you followed the book with him.  Which is why I'd like you to step up to the plate and become the XO."

"Huh?"

"As you may have heard, there's been an incident with Captain Shapiro's family back in the States, and he's requested an emergency change of station.

"With your record since you've been here, your 'Open Door' policy about your troops and civilians, and the fact that your troops respect you, I want you to replace Al."

"Sir, I don't know what to say.  Of course, I'll accept the position."

"Glad to hear it, Marx.  Besides, it'll look good on your promotion boards when it comes time."

"What about my flight sir?"

"Well, Al will be outprocessing for the next two weeks, so for that time, you'll still be in charge of your flight.  But I want you spending time working with my staff, and Al, to get you transitioned into the role.  MSgt. Spirenburg will take on your position until we can get a new lieutenant.  

"Marx, I also want you in charge of military-civil affairs for the squadron.  You live off base, right?"

"Yes sir, in the Furinkan section of Nerima-ku."

"Ok, I'll also arrange for you to have a staff car and pager.  If something happens, I can't have you take the train here, sign out a car, and then get to where you need to go."

"Understood, sir."

"Congratulations, Lieutenant, on moving up in the world.  Go let your flight know.  And try not to kill them."

Marx chuckled.  "Thank you sir."

  
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The outer chimes of the Dojo rang.  Then rang again.  "How may I help you, Elder," Kasumi asked as she opened the outer door, impressed that Shampoo hadn't just blown a hole in the outer wall.  But the eldest Tendo was somewhat surprised that Shampoo wasn't around.

"Hello, Kasumi.  I need to speak with your father about one of your tenants," Cologne said.  Kasumi nodded, and led her in.

"Father, Elder Cologne needs to speak with you," she said to her father at the shoji board.  When Genma saw who it was, there was a flurry of activity, a splash of water and a giant panda playing with a beach ball.

"I'll make tea," she said, heading into the kitchen.

"Elder, what did Ranma do this time?"  Soun asked, glaring at his currently-pandafied friend.

"Tendo-san, this has nothing to do with the Saotomes.  Although I wish Son-in-law would do the right thing.

"I believe you have an American serviceman renting a room here, yes?"

"A Lieutenant Marx, stationed at Yokota.  How does this concern the Amazons, Elder?"

"I've simply come to give you a warning about your tenant.  He has been possessed by a monster from the deepest pits of Hell, and may have stolen something of ours while he was in China."  There was a crash of broken crockery, and a muffled "Shit," in Kasumi's voice coming from the kitchen.

"What makes you suspect that, Elder?"

"Three thousand years of Amazon history are never wrong.  The demon that possesses your tenant stole something from us three thousand years ago.  Has he shown any of you a golden key?"

Both fathers shook their head.  "No, he hasn't, Elder," Kasumi said, as she walked out of the kitchen with the tea service.

"I will ask all of you, and please tell those that are not here, not to interfere in our quest for this monster.  We've known each other for two years, and I'm sure you are quite aware of the Amazon saying 'obstacles are for killing'.  In some strange way, I consider you to be family, regardless of the problems that you've cause for my great-granddaughter.  When you make your decision, you may contact me at the Nekohanten."

"We will think about what you said, Elder." Soun said, mustering up all the courage he had to say it without breaking down.  Cologne nodded, and pogoed out of the Tendo home.

"Kasumi," her father said, "you knew something about this, yes?"

"Father, I've talked with the Lieutenant; I've seen his true form.  He is not a monster, but a potential family member.  I love him dearly, and won't turn against him.  We need to hear his side of the story.  All of it, to make a decision."

Soun looked at her, and smiled inwardly.  His eldest daughter was showing her mother's steel core.  "Because you seem to be taken by this man, beast, whatever he's become, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt for now.  But the moment that he endangers our family…"

"Thank you Father."  

The phone in the hall began ringing.  Genma-panda waddled over and growfed into it, before handing it to Kasumi.  [Why did I answer the phone?]  [Panda's can't speak.]

"Hello?" She smiled, when she heard who was on the other end.  "We were just talking about you…That problem that you talked about has made itself apparent…Yes, they know where you live…And I think they suspect us…We'll have to talk about it when you get home tonight…Ok, I'll set aside dinner for you…What?  You got promoted?  Congratulations…I love you, too."  She hung the phone back on the receiver.

"Who was that?"  Soun asked.

"That was Christopher-kun.  He called just to say that he's been promoted to second in command of his unit, and tasked as military-civil affairs coordinator, and that he'd be home late."

"We'll have our discussion with your boyfriend when he gets in then," Soun said.

"Yes, Father," Kasumi said.

  
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Marx was sitting in the XO's office after his tour, going over the paperwork that Captain Shapiro had.  "Basically, Lieutenant, you sit here and play 'Bad Cop' when the CO is playing 'Good Cop'.  Other than that, its sit here and find something to do.  Capice?"

"Yes sir."

"Airman Hutton is the orderly for both Captain Schuler and myself.  Just give her a shout if you need her."

"Roger that, sir."

"Good luck, Lieutenant."

"Thank you sir."  Marx stood and left the XO's office.  As he passed SrA  Hutton's desk, he nodded to her, left the headquarters offices, and signed out his staff car from the squadron motor pool.  It was, surprisingly enough, the same one that he had on Armed Forces Day.

  
-------

"I'm home," Marx said, as he unzipped and slipped off his jump boots in the genkan.  Kasumi was waiting for him.

"We're in the dining room," she said.  After putting his house slippers on, he made his way through the house, humming Chopin's Funeral March.  The couple paused at the threshold.  Kasumi took his hand in hers.  "Christopher-kun…anata, we're in this together.  No matter what my father decides."  She took a deep breath, and looked at her American dragon with her big brown eyes.  "I want to be with you until the end of time."

"Kasumi…aisuru, I feel the same way.  Just being with you has healed wounds from two lifetimes."  Taking a deep breath, Marx looked into the room.  Both families were sitting there.  "'May fortune favor the foolish'," he muttered.

Hand in hand the couple crossed the threshold, and sat down at the dining room table.  That action, and the fact that Kasumi was sitting right next to Marx, wasn't lost on Nabiki.  She was the first to speak.  "All right, Lieutenant.  My family was all but threatened, and I don't take lightly to threats.  What happened to you at Jusenkyo?"

"Never stopped her before," Ranma muttered quietly.

"I guess its time to come clean.  Nabiki, when I told you that I was in my cursed form, it was the truth.  Because of what happened at Jusenkyo to me, I can never go back to being just human…"

"So you are some creature from the depths of Hell!"  Akane all but shouted.   

Marx shook his ears to try to stop them from ringing.  "I resent that remark, Miss Tendo.  And, frankly, you shouldn't go around accusing someone of being something they're not."

"You said you were near the dreaded Cursed Training Grounds.  I assume that you entered them?"  Soun asked, not a hint of the emotions that usually plagued him present.

"I did.  When I was in college, I majored in history and was certified as a secondary education teacher in that field.  If there were historical grounds nearby, I'd want to learn about it…" and Marx recounted his trip to Jusenkyo to the families.  "…the Guide tried restoring my original form with hot water, but when I fell in the spring, I merged with the spirit of the dragon that created the training grounds."

"And what has this to do with the Amazons?  Why are they hunting you?"

"The Amazons and what I've become were fighting a battle for dominance of the valley.  If they mentioned anything about a stolen key, or something along those lines, do not believe them.  That key has always been my property."

"Anata," Kasumi whispered, "why don't you show them."  Marx nodded, and walked out into the yard.  "Father, sisters, Uncle Saotome, there is no more an honorable man than Lieutenant Marx.  I think the Amazons are upset about something, and they are trying to pin it on the man I love."

"But, sis," Akane chimed in, "he turns into a monster."

"**If in your definition of a monster is a dragon, then yes, I am a monster.**"  With the exception of Kasumi and Ranma, everyone turned, and looked out the open doors out to the yard.  Shimmering in the moonlight was Marx's true form.  "**There are those dragons that believe in nothing more than wanton death and destruction.  There are those dragons that want nothing more than to be left alone.  Then there are those dragons, who you would lump into a 'monster' category, that fight for what's right and good in the world.**

**"And if I were such a monster, Miss Tendo, would I have bothered helping you and your fiancé with your studies.**"  Stretching his neck, he placed his head against Kasumi's shoulder.  She reached up and began stroking his snout.

Akane sat there, stewing, trying to refute Marx's comment.  A small part of her mind told her that he was right.  But another, the one that refused to see Ranma for what he was, reminded her that he had just turned from a human to a giant lizard.  They could see her mouth working, but no words were coming out.

 "**Tendo-san, if you would like me to move out to protect your family, I will do so,**" he said.

"There's no need, Lieutenant.  We know that the Amazons would not try anything against us, especially after Ranma's defeat of Saffron. That was a truly amazing fight."

"**I understand that, Tendo-san, but I would feel better if there was some way that I could protect the one I love._"_**

Soun's eyebrow went up with that comment.  "What do you mean?"

"**My first wife…hell, both of my first wives.  Peng Xuan Wang and my first wife, from when I was a pure human were both murdered; Peng by the Amazon's predecessors, my other by a thief.  I have no desire to see that fate befall your daughter. I love her far to much to see it happen.**"

"I have to ask," Soun said, "your…the dragon's…did you ensorcel this Peng Xuan Wang, as Cologne has accused you of?"

There was a throaty chuckle coming from the dragon.  Genma blanched, in fear for his friend.  Akane started looking pale, as though she would become the next meal, or at least a light snack.  "**If anyone was ensorcelled be it Peng or Kasumi, it was me on both counts.  Both your daughter and Peng share very similar traits, and have captured my heart just on the pureness of theirs alone.**

"**If the Amazons told you that Peng was placed under a spell by me, I can tell you that there are guidelines that my race _has_ to follow.  And repeated violations of those guidelines can result in consequences stricter than any censuring.**

"**Many years ago, a matriarch came to power who felt that her tribe's land was too small, and waged a war on the independent villages and my allies, the Phoenix.**"  Eyebrows went up with that fact, particularly Ranma's.  "**Don't worry, Ranma, I bear you no ill will for what you had to do, although I am quite impressed that you were able to defeat and kill Saffron.**

"**The independent villages banded together, and elected me king and war leader.  Over the course of ten years, the war was fought.  Through treachery done under a flag of truce, the Matriarch, Rol Lon, murdered Peng, and almost captured me, as my magic and innate abilities wore out.  That was how the Jusenkyo became cursed.**"  The two of the three Jusenkyo-cursed individuals in the Dojo looked at the dragon, with anticipation that he may be able to remove their curses.  Marx shook his broad head.  "**I'm sorry.  The nature of the curse I placed on the valley does not allow it to be cured.  And adding the curse of a different spring, like Drowned Boy or Virtuous Man, has cumulative effects.  Which means, Ranma, you might be locked with features of both curses.  So you can consider yourself lucky that the last cask of Drowned Boy was consumed by Happosai.**"  

"Thanks for being honest, Marx-san," the pigtailed aquatransexual said.  

There was a cackling coming from the compound wall.  "Then you're memory is faulty by your time in the spring, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi," the gravelly voice said. Marx swung his head around to where he heard the voice.  "It was your evil that required us to go to war."

"**And three thousand years of Amazon history is nothing more than propaganda, Matriarch.  I was there, I lived the experiences.  I had Peng's blood on my hands, my robes.  It was I that caused the mountain that was my home to explode.  It was I that met with Rol Lon.  And to be perfectly honest, Rol Lon's ruthlessness makes Hitler look like a saint.**"

Cologne suppressed the anger she felt towards the dragon for insulting her ancestor, but just barely.  "We can do this one of two ways, Ryuujin—the easy way or the hard way.  What will it be?"

Marx snorted.  "**You expect me to surrender myself to murderers and liars?  I think not.**"  Marx spread his leathery wings, ready to launch to attack from the air.  
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	7. Chapter the Seventh

Disclaimer:  Ain't mine, don't own 'em.  Wish I did though.  Flames will be extinguished.  Thanks to John Tannius for letting my borrow ideas from _Dragon's Destiny_.

Marx snorted.  "**You expect me to surrender myself to murderers and liars?  I think not.**"  Marx spread his leathery wings, ready to launch to attack from the air.

"You are correct," Cologne replied.  "Mu Tsu, Xian Pu, Tigar," she called.  "Now!"  The three Amazons called leapt on top of the wall and hurled a large net towards the dragon.

Time seemed to slow down for Marx.  He jumped back, pulling his head in towards his body, but the net still managed to snag him.  "The more you struggle, the tighter the net will become."  The Amazon matriarch chuckled dryly.  "And to think that Dai Ryuujin no Nishi could be captured so easily.  Now, will you agree to come back to China with us?"

"**Don't you think that my squadron will miss me?  That the Tendos will miss me?  I'm not that easy to forget, Elder.**"  Marx retorted.  He kept his movements calm.  Even though the wire mesh tangled his wings, his razor sharp claws were still free, and began working on cutting away the net.  Kasumi, trapped under the net with Marx, moved underneath his bulk for protection.  She wasn't nervous, per say, but she felt better the closer she was to him.

"We have ways, Dragon-boy, of making people forget."  Ranma shuddered.  He knew the shampoo that Cologne was referring to, all too well in his mind.

Marx smiled.  "**Well, perhaps you forgot that I'm still not defenseless, Old Ghoul.**"  He opened his mouth, and a cone of cold, so intense that the grass just below and to both sides cracked and froze, shot out towards the Amazons.  The three females were just able to dodge in time, although Cologne was suddenly weighed down by ball of ice that was now at the end of her hair.  Mousse wasn't so lucky.  He was hit near full blast by the cone, encasing him in a super hard, super thin coating of ice so quickly that his curse didn't even have time to activate.  "**You have ten minutes to thaw him out before brain damage begins.  I suggest that you leave now, and do not bother me or my loved ones again.**"  He swiveled his broad head, and the frozen net cracked open.  The Amazons collected their frozen male, and began roof hopping for the Nekohanten.

"This isn't over yet, dragon.  We'll get you.  Mark my words," Cologne howled from the rooftops.

Settling back on his haunches, Marx looked around.  "**Where's Kasumi?**"  

"Anata, this doesn't look good to my family," he heard from under him.

Dragons don't normally blush.  Nor do their noses bleed in perverted situations.  So for Marx to be both red faced and to have a bit of a nosebleed must have been an interesting sight when he saw Kasumi under him, in an extremely intimate position.  He leapt back as fast as he could.  Kasumi scrambled out and fixed her skirt.  Soun began wailing that his little girl was a pervert.  Nabiki had a smirk.  "**Sorry, about that.  You should consider yourself lucky that I didn't land squarely on you, aisuru.**"

"No, I should have moved out of the way when the Amazons attacked."  Kasumi had her head down, embarrassed that the situation could have been deadlier.  "I was in your way.  You could not have fought to your best potential if I stayed there, if they hadn't thrown the net."

Marx nuzzled his heart's love with his snout.  "**We will need to find some way to protect you.**"  He looked at the families still on the engawa.  "**Nothing to see here, move along.  Move along.**"  Slowly the families dispersed.  Except for Ranma.  Concentrating, the dragon shifted back to his public form.  "What can I do for you, Ranma?"

"Marx-san…" Ranma took a deep breath.  "Now that the Amazons know where you are, and where you work, you'll need to watch your back.  And as long as I'm able to, I'll watch it as well.  As a repayment for helping me with my studies."

"No need, Ranma.  But thank you for the offer." a now human Marx said.  "It's going to be dangerous the next few days."

"'Days,' Lieutenant?"  Ranma asked incredulously.  "Try years.  Once the Amazons get their hooks into you, they'll for eternity to get you.  Believe me, I should know."

"Great," Marx muttered.  "I'm going to bed.  I do have to go to work in the morning."  Kasumi began following him to the guest bedroom he rented.  "Kasumi-chan, if I can ask an impertinent question, but isn't your room upstairs?"

The calmest Tendo looked a bit ashamed.  "Father and Ojisan think that they can get Ranma and Akane together, if they see us living together as a perfect couple.  They moved me into your room."

Marx rolled his eyes, even as he pulled the younger woman into his arms. They were both feeling nervous with what happened this evening.  "This has been one hell of a day.  What else could go wrong?"

Kasumi looked into his silver-flecked eyes.  "Well, if I wanted to, I could tell you I'm pregnant.  But since I'm not, I won't."  She had a smile on her face as she said it.

Marx looked down at her, noted the smile and smiled back.  "Well, that's a relief.  I still can't believe that Genma and your father would conspire to get Akane and Ranma together.  Haven't they noticed that one of them is going to kill the other?"  They continued to towards what was now their room.

"Christopher, Cologne all but threatened my family.  My family!"  Kasumi was on the edge of tears.  "I've already lost my mother, I don't want to lose anyone else."

Leading the crying girl into his room, he told her that he was concerned.  "I'll talk to Cologne.  Perhaps there is some sort of reasonable agreement we can come to."

"I hope so, anata.  But I'm also afraid for you, as well.  If you go there, they may not let you come back."

"Then you know what, we'll get married, and move on base.  There's no way the Amazons will be able to get through a Security Forces squadron alerted to the threat to their executive officer."

"But…but…" Kasumi was at a bit of a loss for words.  "Does this mean that you're proposing to me?"

Marx smiled at her.  "Yes, I am.  But, I want you to select the ring."  With the door slid shut and locked, he closed his eyes for a moment and concentrated as he clenched his fist.  "Ah, there it is."  He opened his fist, and a small golden skeleton key appeared.

"Is that the key that Elder Cologne was talking about?"

"It is.  If that…" Marx paused for an appropriate word, so as not to offend Kasumi, "…canicula said it was an Amazon treasure, she was sorely mistaken.  This key has been mine since I found my first lair."  Walking over to the closet door, he inserted the key into the air.  Twisting it like it was in a lock, a door appeared.

"How…" Kasumi started, but realized if her soon to be fiancé could make a key appear, possibly without knowing Mousse's Hidden Weapons technique, then making a doorway appear in the air is just simply magic.  "Never mind."

Marx smiled at her, as he opened the doorway.  As they stepped through, long dormant light spells activated, bathing the chambers in cool light that reflected off the treasures spread throughout the chambers.  Gold and silver coins and bars littered the floor in piles as tall as Marx himself, and as broad as Marx's draconic form was long.  Rare precious gems reflected the magical light.  

"Oh…my," Kasumi said, in awe of the wealth displayed here.  "Christopher-kun, just how much is in here?"

There was a toothy grin on his face.  "I think there's enough here to clearly place me as the richest person in the world.  At current market prices for gold, silver and precious gems."

"If Nabiki saw this, she'd be…"

"Moderately impressed, I'm sure.  This, really, is the reason why I can pay for my rent so far in advance."

"If you own this, why not a more extravagant apartment in say, Juban, or closer to the Palace?"

"Because that would send flags up and down, not only in my chain of command, but to the IRS of both Japan and the United States."  Replacing the toothy grin with a genuine smile, Marx told her that she was only the second person he brought with him, as he rummaged around the treasure piles.  "I really need to organize," he muttered.  Marx noticed Kasumi was starting to look around.  "Be careful where you walk.  The floor can be very treacherous."  She nodded, as the glint of the magical lights reflecting off of a large crystal caught her eye.  Heeding her fiancé's advice, Kasumi made her way towards the crystal.

Embedded within the eight foot tall piece of quartz was Peng's wedding gown and headpiece.  The crystal itself was on a two foot marble plinth on a clear section of the floor.  Marx had found what he was looking for and walked over to her.  "It was a gift from her father, the Emperor," he said, noticing how entranced she was by the gown.  "That and the wedding."  With a wry chuckle he explained what had happened in Leyi three millennia ago.  "Our engagement was the scandal of the capital city.  The gossipmongers had a field day with both our engagement and wedding.  The biggest question was how did a third-rate flunky in the Imperial government receive the honor of being engaged to the eldest princess.  The nice thing about it was we didn't have to deal with paparazzi like celebrities do nowadays.

"Peng's father declared the week prior to our wedding a national holiday.  Festivities abounded, both noble and commoner broke out their finest clothes.  It was quite the spectacle.

"No one wanted to miss out wedding, mainly to see the gaijin that captured the princess's heart so much.  For both our sakes, it was a blessing that the ceremony was short."

"And then the two of you left for Jusenkyo?"

"Yes.  Only to protect ourselves, and keep myself out of the line of succession, otherwise the Xi Zhou dynasty would still be in power."

"Christopher-kun, did Peng ever," Kasumi blushed as ecchi thoughts crept back into her mind, "sleep with her husband as a dragon?"

Marx's eyebrow went up.  "She did, on more than one occasion.  Especially after the Amazons began their war for lebensraum.  I remember her saying that it was like sleeping with a big furry dog, just without the fur.  It gave her a sense of security."

She placed her hand on his arm.  "Christopher-kun, can we do that tonight?  I'm still nervous that the Amazons will try something."

"Certainly.  I'd like that as well."  They left the lair and, after shoving the bed that the fathers acquired through the door before closing it.  Marx shifted back into his draconic form for the second time this night.  Cramped as the room was, he still managed to circle a couple of times before settling down like a cat.  Kasumi changed into a nightgown, and settle herself up by her fiancé's shoulder.  Marx fluttered his wings once, and covered her with the one below that shoulder.

  
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With a shrill cry, the alarm clock announced to the world that it was time to get up to the occupants of Marx's room.  Cracking open a largish eye, Marx regarded the annoyance to his slumber.  He was about to "delicately" quiet the modern annoyance permanently.  Particularly when Kasumi stirred in his forelimbs.  _Forget it_, he said to himself.

Trying not to disturb his sleeping fiancée, Marx carefully slipped the limb she was sleeping against and stood.  Which resulted in clocking his head against the ceiling and Marx growling ancient Egyptian.  While not as colorful as some of the other ancient languages, Egyptian had a graceful flow to it.

He shifted back to his "normal" form, put on a fresh set of utilities, and kissed a still sleeping Kasumi gently on the lips.  "Be extremely careful, my love.  I have this feeling that if Cologne can't get me one way, she'll try to get me through you."  Kissing her on the lips again, Marx made his way down the hall to the front door.  Changing house slippers for combat boots, he spied Ranma walking past with a glass of water.  "Ranma," he called.

"What can I do for ya?"

"Protect Kasumi today.  I don't care if you have to skip school today to do it.  I'll write you a note for school tomorrow.  I have this feeling that the Amazons may try something today."

"Gotcha, Lieutenant.  Be careful yourself."  

Marx nodded as he headed out the front door.

Around the corner of the compound's wall, a redhead grinned as she noticed the scent trail of a certain silver dragon crisscrossed the area.  "So, my old friend, you've fallen for another of these pathetic sub-creatures.  And if I know you, she'll be like Peng.  So predictable, and so pathetic.  I still can't believe I lost to you all those years ago."  The red dragon turned comely human female headed down the street.  "I wonder if there are any Amazons in the area?"  She said, walking along.  Her lovely face twisted in the rictus of an evil grin.  "If there are, I can do what I did all those years ago for my revenge.  But first, I'll challenge him, and then I'll plot my revenge."  Any of the residents of Nerima that were up this early were treated to a horrific laugh; one worse than Kodachi's must unstable day.


	8. Chapter the Eighth

The early morning sun was just creeping into the arms room of the 374th Security Forces Squadron.  The day shift had fallen into its morning formation, waiting for their flight chief.  Marx walked out of the control center, and to the armorer, received his pistol, cleared it and moved in front of the formation.  "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen.  Before we begin our usual briefings, I have an advisory from the Japanese National Police that's been posted to all American installations and foreign embassies.  None of the following information is to leave the base, at the request of the National Police.  They don't want to start a panic.

"It seems there have been a series of kidnappings over the past several weeks.  The targets are young women, from the ages of thirteen to twenty, no specific body types or ethnic backgrounds, although the majority are native Japanese.  There is, unfortunately, very little information to go on.  Patrol leaders, there are photo arrays in Control.  Make sure you sign for one.  Those on the gate, Sgt. Spirenburg and I will run them out to your posts.  If you see any of these women, contact Control, and try to hold them, or at least follow them.  Gate guards, have your civilian PD liaison keep an eye on them.

"We've been asked by the National Police to contact local law enforcement if we see any of these girls, and to monitor their whereabouts.  And because of the significant danger, patrol arrangements will be shifted tomorrow.

"Sergeant Spirenburg, the flight is yours."  Marx turned and walked back into the control room.  
  
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High atop Mt. Fuji, there was a cave complex far off the pilgrim trails.  Sitting deep within this complex was Firespur, back in her human guise, sitting at a somewhat rickety camp table writing a challenge letter, a mix of propane and battery-powered lamps creating pools of light throughout the complex.  Of course, she could have used light spells to provide illumination, but there was the risk that the use of her magic would give away her location to her opponent far too early.

For the complex to be so far off the beaten path, it was remarkably clean and had been reinforced, almost as if it was to be used in time of war.  Firespur had added a few homey touches to it—like artwork from raiding the Louvre in Paris and the Hermitage in St. Petersburg.  She was also grateful that the two-legged vermin that infested the area had thoughtfully provided cells in one side chamber.  These were currently in use, filled with "snacks" that ranged from thirteen to twenty.

It was long after finding where her old nemesis was living that the challenge was finished.  Satisfied with the wording, Firespur stalked towards her "pantry".  The teenage girls and young women cowered towards the far end of their cells.  She looked at her captives, almost tempted to go "Eenie, Meenie, Minie, Moe" at them.  "You'll do," she said, pointing at a pale-skinned girl in a Mugen Academy uniform.  "Come with me," the dragoness barked, as she opened the cell.  The selected girl complied, as the dragon led her into the private chambers.

Firespur settled down into an overstuffed chair.  "What is your name, girl?"  She asked, gazing into the teen's purple eyes.

"H-Hotaru Tomoe," she replied, entranced by the way her captor's eyes seemed to sparkle.

"Well then, my little firefly, I have something for you to do."  The dragoness slid the envelope towards her messenger.  "You will deliver this to 'Yin Zi', or what ever he is calling himself now, at the Tendo Dojo, in Nerima-ku.  If he is not there, then I permit you to give this only to the one he has given his heart to.

"Once you have completed this task, you are to return to your school, and forget about everything about this past week.

"Now, repeat back my instructions."  Hotaru did as she was ordered.  "Very good.  Remember, if you fail me, little firefly, you will suffer.  Dearly.  Now go."  The schoolgirl took the envelope and left the cave.

  
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It had started out as a normal morning for the Tendos.  Kasumi had started breakfast preparations not long after her fiancé had left for work.  She smiled as she looked at the silvery dragon plush that now occupied a portion of the counter.  Marx had been extremely gentle with her last night, cradling her in his forelimbs, wrapping a wing around her.  The warmth radiating from his body was comforting, almost like being wrapped up in a big living electric blanket.  Ranma and his father had sparred, with both of them ending up in the pond.  Soun had his head buried in the paper, and Akane was out on her morning jog.  And since she had moved on to campus, Nabiki was home only on the weekends.

With breakfast placed on the tables, the usual fights stopped, the families settled down, except for Ranma and his father sparring over food.  The engaged teens ran out, almost late for school, but only Akane made it.  Ranma ditched her and made his way back to the Dojo, then hid himself in a tree that overlooked the house.

For all parties involved the day felt like it was lasting forever.  Marx had the cops chasing his vehicle around the flightline like a mother duck and her ducklings, but it still didn't feel like it made the day go any faster.  And this particular exercise also had the "kidnapping" of SrA Hutton, as a willing participant since she fit the general profile of the victims.

For Kasumi, the day moved as a normal day, just a bit slower.  And the young love a certain dragon couldn't help but feel that she was being watched as she went about her chores and errands.  Although it didn't feel like the Amazons from last week, it was, nonetheless, a set of eyes.

Ranma, at various times, was fighting to stay awake.  Stakeouts simply weren't his particular cup of tea.  Especially sitting up in a tree.  For the pigtailed martial artist, even the weather was conspiring against him.  The late April day was warm and a light breeze was blowing, giving a slight sway to the tree.  Both were having a sopoforic affect on the teen, and it was by sheer luck that he was able to stay awake.  But as the day wore on, he luck was beginning to run out.  _Just a few moments won't hurt,_ he said to himself, as he closed his eyes.

When he opened them next, it was in time to hear Akane.  "I don't believe that pervert."

"What did Ranma do this time," Kasumi asked patiently.  She was, however, getting tired of listening to her youngest sister rant about how every thing was Ranma's fault.  As the eldest, it should have been her responsibility to the family to accept the engagement, but Ranma's curse frightened her at first.  And if she hadn't fallen head over heels in love with their only paying tenant, she would have asked her father to transfer the engagement to her.

"He walked me to school, fought Kuno as usual, and then disappeared.  I'll bet he was hanging out with that Amazon hussy or his 'cute' fiancée all day."

"Akane, after last night's attack on Christopher-kun, I doubt very much that Ranma would want anything to do with the Amazons anymore.

"Besides, he's been here all day."  Upon hearing that little revelation, Ranma did a spectacular face-fault from his perch in the tree.  The squirrels he was sharing it with whipped out score cards: "8.5" "9.0" "8.0" "9.5" "7.5"

As he dusted his Chinese silks off, Ranma looked at the eldest Tendo.  "How'd you know I was here?"

Kasumi smiled her genuine smile.  "The same way I know when to have the first aid kit ready.  Musabetsu Kakutou Tendo-ryu Domestic Harmony."

They all had a good chuckle at that, until Akane turned on her fiancé.  "Why weren't you in school?  I had to fend for myself today?"

"Marx-san asked me to keep an eye on Kasumi.  He told me he had a bad feeling about today."

They were interrupted by the chimes at the gate.  "Ranma, keep an eye on dinner for me.  Akane, don't you have homework to do?"  She nodded.  "Then off with you.  And stay out of the kitchen."  

Kasumi made her way to the main gate and opened the heavy wooden door.  Standing there was a young girl, no more than fifteen.  "May I help you?"

Hotaru looked up at the women standing before her.  "I have a letter for Yin Zi," she said.

There was a sharp intake of breath on Kasumi's part.  "How…how do you know that name?"  She asked the young girl quietly.

"My mistress bade me to come to this address and deliver this missive to Yin Zi or 'the one he gave his heart to.'"

Kasumi held out her hand.  "I'll take the letter for Yin Zi."

Hotaru took Kasumi's hand.  "You have his scent all over you.  You are the one he gave his heart to.  You are permitted to take the letter," she said cryptically, as she handed the letter over.  The teen in the Mugen Academy uniform turned and left.

"That was odd," she muttered, as she closed the gate and returned to the house.  Letting Ranma go to get his notes and homework for those classes he shared with Akane, she looked at the letter.  It had two different scripts written in an elegant hand.  One was formal hiragana, the other was, as best as Kasumi could place it, was a rune-type.

With dinner set to simmer, all she had to do was wait for her fiancé to return home from work.  

The phone in the hall began to ring.  Ranma, as the nearest resident to it, answered.  "Moshi, moshi, Tendo-ke…Oh, hey LT…Yeah, I'll let her know…Good luck, Lieutenant."  The pigtailed Saotome stuck his head in the kitchen.  "Kasumi, Marx-san called and said he'd be late."

"Thank you Ranma.  Dinner will be ready soon."

  
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Marx pulled up to the Dojo and parked the US government sedan.  Sitting there for a few moments, he collected his thoughts on why he was late.  One of the younger sergeants, someone Marx had thought to be reliable, had been snatched by Chiba's police force in a district-wide operation to break up a prostitution ring.  Which, under normal circumstances wasn't a problem to call Marx in on.  The district police would have been more than happy to fine the staff sergeant, and let him go.  Except for one little thing—the sergeant in question was caught with a 15 year old girl.  Which placed the young NCO into custody for statutory rape.  Which, in turn, opened a jurisdictional can of worms.

All Marx wound up doing at police headquarters was to officially transfer jurisdiction to the Chiba police force, but requested that the Air Force hold him until plea hearings, and then trial.  The Chiba police agreed and signed over temporary custody.

With his thoughts collected, the stress of the day pooled for a long hot soak in the furo, Marx climbed out of his cruiser and walked into the compound.  For one of the few times since he moved in, it was quiet.  Akane and Ranma weren't arguing, the fathers were quietly engaged in their shogi.  Trading his combat boots for house slippers, Marx made his way into the kitchen.  Kasumi was sitting by the counter, a piece of paper in her hand.  "How was your day," he asked.

"Slow.  And I wish you'd told me that Ranma wasn't going to school this morning."

Marx hung his head slightly.  "It was a last minute decision made on my way out.  I still think that the Amazons aren't finished with me yet.  And that means you're still in danger."

Kasumi put the piece of paper on the counter and took her fiancé's head in her hands.  She gently pulled him up into a light kiss.  "Anata, thank you for your concern," she said when she was done.  She picked the letter up off the counter.  "This came for you today.  I think it might be a challenge letter, but I didn't open it because I couldn't understand the second text on it."

Marx took the folded parchment from her hand.  To his touch, it was the finest parchment available.  The red wax seal had an impression of a dragon taking flight.  "Firespur," was all he muttered, when he translated what the runes under the hiragana said.  Breaking the seal, he read the note.  His face twisted into a grimace as he read.  "That…bitch," he growled.  "She murdered Peng."

"What was that, Christopher?"  Kasumi asked, a concerned look on her face.

"You remember that red dragon I told you about?  The one I fought over Tibet?"  Kasumi nodded.  "She had Peng murdered by the Amazons.  Just to get back at me for fighting her.  And now she's challenging me to a rematch."  

"Does she say when the rematch would be?"

"No, she doesn't.  Other than a piece of advise to prepare myself."

"But why is she doing this?"

"Red dragons are the most prideful and conceited of all dragons.  They believe themselves to be infallible and hold a grudge going back millennia.  What Firespur is doing is bragging that no matter what, she'll still win."  The gold key that led to Marx's hoard appeared in his hand.  "I'm going to do something that none of the memories I have show that I never done before.  Take the key."  Kasumi did so, and Marx placed his hand over hers.  "Now concentrate."

~_Hello Kasumi_~. The key "purred".

She almost dropped it.  "It spoke to me."

Marx nodded.  "The key is, as far as I can tell, sentient."  He snorted as he eyeballed the key and listened to it gripe.  "Hush you," Marx said to the key.  "I know what I'm talking about.  And I'm making sure my legacy doesn't end."  He looked at his fiancée.  "The key is now attuned to you.  All you have to do is will t to appear and disappear.  Just act like you're inserting the key and turning it to open a doorway to my lair.  Use it any time you need to escape for awhile, or you need to help out the family."  Kasumi nodded.

~_I will only answer to your summons now or from the big goofball over there._~

"I heard that," Marx growled.  "I rescue you from the bottom of a spring after three millennia, and this is the gratitude I get."

Kasumi chuckled as they heard the key "raspberry" Marx.  The key disappeared as she willed it away.  "I saved some dinner for you," she said as she opened the fridge and pulled out the leftovers.  "So what kept you at work," she asked.

Marx sighed.  "One of the sergeants from Charlie flight got snatched in a vice sting."

"That's bad.  But why were you called in?"

"He got snatched while with a fifteen year old."

"That's horrible.  What's going to happen to him?"

"Well, he's sitting in custody right now on base.  But we're just holding him to make sure that he shows up.  I think he's going to go to jail for quite sometime.  And I'm going to recommend that he get court-martialed.  He's a staff sergeant, he should have known better."

"But people are fallible."

"I know, but you know what he told me?  'Her pimp told me she was 18.'"

"That's horrible."

"I know."  Marx shook his head.  "And I thought yesterday had been a bad day.  This is turning out to be a bad week.  And I fear that it's going to get so much more worse."  Letting the conversation taper off to companionable silence, allowed the draconic lieutenant to finish his dinner.

  
-------

Marx opened his eyes.  It was the middle of the night; the full moon that was out earlier was behind scudding clouds.  Kasumi was sound asleep, snuggled up next to him.  "She's out there," he said quietly.  "It's long since time we finished this."  He extricated himself from his sleeping fiancée.  Kasumi muttered at losing her warm, furry teddy bear and rolled over.  Not bothering with a robe, Marx made his way out of the sleeping house, towards the courtyard.  

He shifted forms, and stretched out his wings.  Even though he preferred his human form to his draconic, there were times he needed to exercise the other form.  He picked up a scent that he'd recognized as clinging to Ranma's most of the day.  Hints of spices and lavender shampoo identified whom it belonged to.  "**Xian Pu**," he said in Mandarin.

"Nihao, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi," the purple-haired Amazon greeted him.  "Do you want to come peacefully tonight?"

"**Xian Pu, you seem like a level-headed warrior.  What if I told you that your ancestors were manipulated into attacking, into killing Peng?**"

"That's not what the histories say."

"**History can be wrong.  History can be, and is, used as a tool of propaganda.**"  The silver dragon sighed.  "**I don't want to fight you tonight.  But I have a favor to ask.  And the only thing I ask for as a repayment, is for you to listen to the true history of Jusenkyo.**"

"What is it you ask?"

"**I want you to watch over Kasumi.  I'm going to fight someone I thought long dead.  Someone who will try to hurt me in anyway possible, including attacking my loved ones.**"

"I will watch over the Tendos.  As a favor.  And I will listen to your version of history with an open mind, at a neutral location.  But, I will use this favor as a marker, to be called in at my choosing.  Even though our histories tell us that you are a tricky and wicked creature, you could have killed us for endangering your loved one.  Yet you didn't.  You could have attacked me when you called to me, but you didn't.  For that, I will not force you to come with me.

"I wish you success in your mission, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi."  Shampoo leapt up into the same tree that Ranma was in earlier in the day.

Marx leapt into the air, his wings beating the air as he climbed into the night sky.  _Now, if I were Firespur, where would I lair.  Of course, baka, Mt. Fuji.  She's a red, and would think of this part of Japan her exclusive preserve._  He winged his way over to the south, keeping in the clouds for concealment.  Unsure of how long he would be away from the unit, he put in emergency leave papers to cover an absence for up to 30 days when he left the squadron the night before.  Hopefully, he wouldn't need them.

  
-------

Morning broke over Tokyo as it usually did.  Kasumi was already up making breakfast as the sun crested the compound wall.  A pigtailed blur was quickly followed by a furry black and white blur from the guest bedroom window, and father and son began their morning routine.  

Except that routine was about to be broken, as the bruised, bloody, burned and battered form of Dai Ryuujin no Nishi all but collapsed in the yard.  "Go call Doc Tofuu!"  Kasumi shouted.  Akane jumped from the table and ran to the phone.

Marx opened a bruised eyelid.  "**She's dead.  Finally, it's over,**" he said before closing his eye again.  

"Who's dead," Kasumi asked quietly.  "Cologne, Shampoo, or Firespur?"  She didn't get a response.  "Damn you, Christopher.  Don't die on me."


	9. Chapter the Ninth

"Dai Ryuujin no Nishi got into fight last night.  He no die until he ready to," Shampoo said as she jumped down from the tree she was hiding in.  Ranma moved into his no stance ready stance in case she attacked.  "Nihao, Airen," she said, without the requisite glomp.  That threw the pigtailed teen for a loop.

"Shampoo, what are you doing here?"  Kasumi asked.

"Shampoo do favor for Dai Ryuujin no Nishi's loved ones, and make sure that nothing bad happen to them while he go fight enemy thought long dead."  The purple-haired Amazon looked at the injured form of the Lieutenant.  "Look like he get worse end of stick."

"What's the problem," the good doctor said, as Akane led him to the injured party.  "K-K-K-Kasumi, what are you doing here?"

"I live here, Doctor Tofuu.  I need you to help my fiancé," Kasumi said, irritated that the respected Doctor would act like a fool right now.

"O-of course.  Where is he?"

"The dragon right in front of you, Doctor."

"Oh, yes of course."  The good doctor straightened himself out and began examining his patient.  He suppressed a chuckle at the level of weirdness that Nerima was experiencing since Ranma and his father showed up.  And now here he was treating a dragon—a dragon that the young lady he had a crush on was engaged to.  "Hm, this is fascinating.  His aura is similar to the rest of the Jusenkyo-cursed residents of the ward.

"Kasumi, did your fiancé ever go to Jusenkyo?"

"Yes, but…"

"Could you get me some hot water then?  I believe treating him will be easier in his non-cursed form.  Similar to treating Ryouga, and the others with animal curses."

P-Chan squirmed in Akane's arms when Tofuu mentioned his name.  "Dr. Tofuu, what does Ryouga turn into?"

He caught the look from both the piglet in her arms and her fiancé.  "Um…I'm actually not sure."  Kasumi reluctantly offered up the kettle of water for tea.  The good doctor poured some over the dragon…and nothing happened.  Except for the involuntary reaction of the injured dragon's forelimb knocking Doc Tofuu down.  

The doctor released his grip on the kettle, and it went flying.  Ranma, his father and P-Chan's eyes tracked the course of the kettle as it flew in slow motion towards its accidental target.  Both Ranma and Genma were on the other side of the dragon, too far away from being able to intercept the kettle.  

With nary a drop being released since it was launched, the lid finally opened up and the contents poured itself out.  Akane's eyes went wide as her pet piglet got splashed and turned into a very naked, very embarrassed Ryouga Hibiki.  "A-Akane," he began to stutter out.

"You pervert!"  Akane shouted.  Reaching into weaponspace, she withdrew her preferred weapon of feminine retribution and knocked the terminally lost boy out of the yard.  Ranma smirked, as he wasn't on the receiving end of Akane's wrath for the first time since he arrived at the Dojo.  That is until Akane turned on her fiancé.

"You had something to do with this, didn't you?"  Akane began advancing towards the pigtailed martial artist, her malicious intent rolling off her in waves.

Doctor Tofuu was gently prodded back to his patient by Shampoo, and away from the spectacle of Akane chasing Ranma with a mallet around the yard.  The good doctor resumed his examination and, despite the unsanitary conditions, began stitching up Marx's open wounds.  Or at least tried to.  The needle just refused to penetrate his thick hide.  Sighing in frustration, Tofuu pulled out gauze and bandages and proceeded to dress the wounds.  He was at least able to debride the second and third degree burns on Marx's hide, before covering them.  "Kasumi, make sure that you keep your…fiancé dry and change the dressings at the most every 24 hours until they are healed.  Try to keep the burns clean as well."  He handed her a salve.  "Apply this salve on the burns in twelve hours, and again in thirty-six hours."

"Hai, Doctor.  And thank you for coming."

"It was my pleasure, Kasumi."  Tofuu looked the young woman.  "If he's been to Jusenkyo, then why didn't he change back with the hot water?"

"He is…"Kasumi thought how best to phrase the truth.  "He is Dai Ryuujin no Nishi."

"He's the Great Dragon of the West?  When I was in China on my sabbatical I read ancient scrolls that dated back to the Zhou Dynasty that vaguely mentioned a large silvery dragon from the west.  The scrolls were uncertain about his size, but it's funny, I thought he'd be bigger."  Tofuu turned to leave.  "If there are any complications, do not hesitate to call.  I'll be back in a couple of days to check up on him."

"I do have one other favor, Doctor.  He's in the American Air Force, as the person who fell into the First Spring of Jusenkyo.  If you would be so kind as to contact his squadron and tell them that Lieutenant Marx has been injured and is under your care."

"Certainly.  I'll make the call when I return to the clinic."

"Thank you for all your help, Doctor."

"It was no problem," Tofuu replied.

  
-------

Over the next several days, Kasumi kept a vigilant watch over her fiancé.  And because her obligation to Marx hadn't yet been discharged, Shampoo had all but moved into the Dojo, taking over Kasumi's old room.  Which was of little comfort to Akane.  IF anything, it made her more aggressive towards her fiancé, finding an excuse to pound him for any little thing.

The news media had found out about the fight between the dragons and were having a field day with them.  Interviews with Firespur's former captives added spice to the story about how a silvery beast challenged their captor and, although wounded, freed them before leaving.  JASDF and the Defense Agency's stance about the scrambling of a pair of F-15s was staunchly "No comment", particularly when pressed about reports that about a Sidewinder being launched.

*          *          *

It was early Friday evening when Marx opened his eyes.  The dragon blinked a few times to clear the gunk from his eyes.  "**Gods, what hit me?**"  He muttered, as he looked himself over.  Bandages covered most of his flanks, his wings, and his limbs.  He looked more like a poor attempt at a mummy than a dragon right now.

"You're finally awake," Kasumi cried, as she ran out of the dining room.  The rest of the families, and Shampoo, followed her, but at a much more…sedate pace.  She glomped her draconic fiancé in a manner that it made Shampoo proud.

"No harm has come to your loved ones, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi," the purple-haired Amazon said.

"**Thank you,**" he replied in Mandarin.  "**All that is left of your obligation is to hear my side of the story.**"

"When you are ready to tell it, contact me at the Nekohanten."  Shampoo, the proud Amazon warrior that respected few men, bowed to the dragon.  "Kasumi," she said in flawless Japanese, "thank you for your hospitality."  She leapt over the privacy wall, and started roof hopping to her Great-Grandmother's restaurant, fully cognizant of that she might be punished for consorting with the "enemy".  But she gave her word of honor to defend the Tendos, consequences be damned.

Kasumi didn't notice any of the commotion behind her; she was too involved in welcoming her fiancé back to the land of the living.  And Marx was reciprocating.  As much as his current, and currently damaged, form would allow.  For the young woman, she couldn't be happier.  She'd seen the routine side of treating patients, if she ever had wanted to be a nurse.  But with his regaining consciousness, Kasumi wanted to spend almost every minute just holding him.

Just breathing in Kasumi's scent was acting as a balm on the dragon's still frayed nerves.  When he last fought Firespur, they were more or less on an equal footing.  But three thousand years after that last fight, one dragon had been a great wyrm for millennia; the other regressed back to the draconic equivalent of a teenager.  But the teenager had the advantage of having studied modern air-to-air tactics and had a more familiar lay of the land, whereas the wyrm had the advantage of age and magic spells.  It was by sheer luck that Marx had survived the encounter.  His fiancée's scent tickled his sensitive nostrils, enticing him with the combined scents of her shampoo, the spices that she had cooked with, that smell that was just Kasumi, and even the medicinal odor of the salve that Dr. Tofuu had given her.

Soun looked at the two lovers.  With a flash of paternal insight, he looked at his family and other tenants.  "Ok, nothing to see here."  Which left Kasumi and Marx with just the crickets chirping and the occasional traffic noise in the background.  Reluctantly the Kasumi let go of her fiancé.

"Christopher-kun…anata," she said, "I don't know what I'd do if I lost you."  With a gentle claw, Marx wiped away the tears that were falling down her face.

"**Know this, Kasumi,**" he said, quietly.  "**I'll never leave you until we're both so ancient that it's our time to die together.  I've given you my heart, and have taken you into mine.**"  He closed his eyes for a moment, briefly concentrating.  There was a slight wavering, but eventually it settled down into a platinum ring with a small, flawlessly clear diamond surrounded by small, perfect sapphire chips.  "**With this ring, I ask if you will marry me.**"

Kasumi was speechless.  "Of…of course I'll marry you.  I love you with all my heart and soul."  As she let her draconic fiancé slide the ring on the third finger of her left hand, Kasumi looked him in the eye and smiled.  "Now if only my youngest sister would admit that she loves Ranma."

"Loves to hit him, you mean," Marx replied after shifting back to his public form.  Noting the look he was getting, he continued.  "Before you lash into me or jump to the defense of Akane, my love, hear me out."

As the older engaged couple walked down towards their shared room, Soun looked at his friend.  "Well, Saotome-kun, it seems that my little Kasumi is growing up."  The panda nodded his large furry head, and placed a stone on the table.  Soun looked at the placement and smiled.  In four moves, he'd have most of Genma's pieces captured.  "Now if only we could do something about your son and Akane."

  
------


	10. Chapter the Tenth

**An American Dragon in Nerima**

AN: This chapter and future chapters run concurrently with my sidestory _Sailor…Sister?!_

Marx and Kasumi settled in for the night, with Kasumi snuggling up next to her fiancé. "Chris, what happened? Will we have to worry about Firespur any more?"

"No, we won't," he replied, as he stroked her silky hair. Marx adjusted the blankets over them, and began telling his tale of the last fight of the red wyrm. Marx told her how he began the fight—by sneaking up to her lair in the clouds that had surrounded Mt. Fuji that night, and launching a sneak attack.

He explained how the fight went through downtown Tokyo, like a scene from a cheesy World War II comedy, the dragons skimming just over the streets of the capital city, weaving through the urban canyons. He described the fight with both words and hands, like a fighter pilot. And to Kasumi, it gave her something to look at as Marx wove his story.

Marx told of how, as they flew out to sea, the two dragons were intercepted by a pair of JASDF F-15 Eagles, flying combat air patrol over the capital. "When Firespur decided that I wasn't 'worthy' enough for her, she turned and began to attack the fighters. I guess she thought that downing the fighters would become a better return on her investment of time, since she could deal with me, us, at her leisure." With a smile, Marx told his fiancée about how that became a bad idea, when the wing of the wingman erupted in flame as a missile was launched.

As he explained it to his fiancée, a majority of his wounds came from dealing with the female red wyrm, but some of the nastier ones were received when the Sidewinder turned Firespur into barbeque, and Marx was hit by flaming chunks of dragon and shrapnel from the missile. Marx finished his tale with his releasing of Firespur's prisoners and collapsing in the backyard. "There's only just the Amazons to be concerned about. And after I talk to Shampoo, I think they'll leave us alone."

Kasumi yawned as she said "I hope so. I'm tired of living constantly looking over my shoulder. And I know you are." Her reply was a snore, as her fiancé fallen into an exhausted sleep. She kissed his forehead, gently. "I love you, _anata_."

-----

Saturday morning arrived like any other morning in the Tendo household- with Genma bellowing for his son. This time, however, there wasn't a reply or cries of anguish and anger as a certain young aquatransexual had his curse activated. "Where is that worthless boy?" He growled, as the overweight martial artist stormed into the dining room.

Nabiki schooled her features well, mainly by coming to the table in her favorite pajamas—the ones covered with currency signs from the G8 nations—and her toothbrush in her mouth. In a way, she was glad that Ranma had left last night. It kept her from wanting to act out her naughty thoughts about the pigtailed martial artist's cursed form (although it made for interesting times with her "friend" who was also a redhead). His leaving would also cut down on the cost of repairs to the house and dojo after a fight with any one of the Nerima Wrecking Crew.

Akane was visibly fuming at the loss of "her" fiancé, calling him every dirty name in the book. She was the heiress to the Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling, she was the best martial artist in Nerima—until Ranma arrived, but she tended to believe that whatever he could do, she could do better—everything had been handed to her on a platter. It also meant that she was no longer honor-bound to marry him, since he broke the engagement off by his leaving. That would leave her to pursue her original crush, even though she was still unsure about how to express her feelings.

Kasumi—well, in her heart, she was saddened by the loss of the young man she came to think of as a brother. At the same time, she was proud that Ranma was trying to find a solution to the quandary that his father had caused for him.

As she laid out the breakfast, the eldest Tendo thought about what her fiancé had said about her youngest sister. Akane's actions that morning reflected what Marx had said to her. Perhaps, Kasumi thought, this separation would give the two heirs time to grow up, and grow together.

Kasumi looked at the empty place setting where her fiancé would be sitting, and hoped his day was fairing better than hers was already. She also looked at the empty place setting where Ranma usually sat and hoped all was well for him.

------

Marx sat in the security control room, writing up a long-passed due report on the incident in Chiba. He had every intention of filing it right after the incident, but when the challenge was issued, the full report went to the wayside. As it was Staff Sergeant Harnett was languishing in the brig. At least Captain Schuler was understanding about the whole incident, even if he wasn't sure why Marx had been injured.

"Lieutenant," MSgt. Spirenburg said, looking over at his flight chief, "what about Sergeant Harnett? He's going to languish in the brig?"

Marx nodded. "Until we get the court date for him, he's stuck." The flight sergeant nodded and went back to the specs on Playmate of the Month.

Returning home, Marx almost wished he hadn't. Not counting the piles of rubble from Akane's training, the Dojo itself suffered from major structural damage. There was evidence of Shampoo's attacks on the building, scorch marks on the walls and floor of the training hall from Ukyo's explosive food attacks, and black rose petals intermingled with the debris. "There goes this month's rent," he muttered, walking into the house. "Although I might have a Plan B." Marx had worked a deal with the squadron commander of the 374th Civil Engineering Squadron, so it might be time to call in that marker.

He was met by his fiancée as he was in the genkan, removing his boots. "Tough day," he asked, and immediately regretted it.

"You have no idea," Kasumi replied, her hair unkempt. The normally calm Tendo daughter looked frazzled enough for the two of them. "Ranma's disappeared. And the fiancée brigade thought Akane had something to do with it."

"Oh boy. So that's why the Dojo and the yard look like World War 3 was fought here." Marx started pulling his boots back on. "Tell you what, why don't we slip out and go get something to eat."

"But, I've got dinner on the stove…"

"And the rest of the family can fend for themselves. Especially if it's already finished, and just staying warm. Besides, you and I haven't had a night out to ourselves since before the challenge."

"Well…you're right, I guess. I'll go get changed." Kasumi spun away, her step lightened, leaving her fiancé in the entryway, waiting for her.

"So, Marx," Nabiki asked, "you're taking my big sister out, and leaving us to fend for ourselves?"

"Yes, I am. She needs some time away from the family." Marx gave his future sister-in-law a grin that made the hair on her neck stand on end.

"Ok, ok. Just show her a good time." Nabiki turned away from the draconic Air Force officer, and headed back up to her room. _Jeez, I hate it when he does that_, she thought as she prepared for her own date that night.

"All set," Kasumi asked as she walked back into the entryway.

"I feel so underdressed," Marx said, as he looked at his fiancée. She's apparently picked up a few new clothes while he was either recovering from his wounds or was at work, and was wearing a simple yet form fitting dress that hugged every curve. "Very nice."

"Thank you, anata. I hope I'm not too overdressed for dinner tonight."

"No, but I'm going to rethink where we go eat tonight," Marx replied, a wry grin on his face.

------

The couple was walking through the gates of the Dojo, Marx regretting what he had done. They spent half the night in a karaoke bar, with Kasumi singing. They'd been going out for quite sometime, and Marx had just discovered his fiancée's hidden passion—karaoke. Inwardly he shook his head, even as Kasumi rested her head on his shoulder while they walked towards the house.

As they got closer to the front porch, another couple locked in a passionate embrace could be seen silhouetted by the porch lights. "Nabiki!" Kasumi exclaimed.

"Airman Hutton?" Marx said, a questioning look on his face when he saw who the redhead was.

"Um, hi sis," Nabiki, the person voted by her class "Most Likely to Stay Single", said sheepishly. "I guess an explanation is in order."

"Um, good eve…morning, Lieutenant," Hutton replied to her question. "Sorry about this."

Moving away from her fiancé, Kasumi pulled her sister off to the side, as Marx looked at his orderly, and motioned for her to come closer. "Airman, would you care to explain yourself?"

The redheaded E-4 looked at the Lieutenant. "Well, sir, it's like this. I've never been comfortable with guys, except maybe as one of the guys. Hell, sir, most of my friends in high school were guys. I'd have to close my eyes when I was in the showers after gym and at Lackland and Keesler only to control myself.

"It was only when I got here, and went into that off-limits bar that I found Nabiki…"

Marx raised his hand, forestalling any further comment. "Airman…Lauren, its just that the military is very…cautious about certain things. President Clinton and his 'Don't ask, Don't tell' policy, and all that. Frankly I don't care what your sexual preference is, just as long as it doesn't interfere with your job. One thing that I would strongly, very strongly recommend is that you try to keep your relationship with Nabiki professional to the rest of the world. What you and she do behind closed doors is something else entirely."

"Yes sir."

"And try not to use your military ID when you go to those off-limits clubs."

SrA Hutton smiled at the Lieutenant. "I don't sir. I enrolled at Tokyo University for a few college classes, and use that ID card."

"Good thinking. Kasumi's done with your date. Finish saying good night, and I'll see you on Monday morning. And do try to get some sleep Sunday night. You and I are going to have a very long day."

Hutton nodded. "Yes sir, I know. Captain Shapiro is leaving that day and we have to go over what he's been doing. By the way, sir, a letter arrived yesterday from Chiba Municipal Court. Sergeant Harnett has his first court appearance."

"That's quick. I guess they want this taken care of as quickly as we do. When is it?"

"A week from Monday. I've informed the commander, and the ADC. Everything will be ready, sir."

"Hutton, I don't care what they say about you on the flightline, you're a model of efficiency." The young senior airman beamed at the praise. Kasumi waved to her fiancé. "Airman, good night. And remember what I said about Nabiki."

"Understood, sir. I hope…"

"No need to worry about it. I'm the soul of discretion. I think your date wants to say 'Good night' again." Marx winked at the young woman, and headed back over to his date for the night. As the two young lovers wished each other pleasant dreams a little less…vigorously…Marx looked at his betrothed. "So what did your sister have to say?"

"That, anata, is a secret," Kasumi said with a grin and a wink. "Maybe I'll tell you about it in the morning." She led him into the house, past the young lovers, and towards their bedroom.

Morning broke with the new routine, of Genma lamenting on where his unworthy son disappeared to, Soun, bawling about how the two schools will never be joined, and Akane wishing that the perverted jerk was dead for leaving her. Marx staggered out to the dining room, more asleep then awake. For the dragon, last night had been a night of discoveries: first discovering Kasumi's secret passion of karaoke, discovering that both his future sister in law and his orderly were lesbian lovers, and then discovering that within his mild-mannered fiancée dwelt such a dynamo of sexual energy, that even _his_ constitution couldn't keep up with her. He sat down at the table, a steaming cup of coffee already at his place. He sipped the potent black beverage, letting the caffeine try to wake him up. Rolling a catlike eye towards Nabiki, he noticed she wasn't in much better shape that he was.

Kasumi, on the other hand, was her usual bright eyed and bushy tailed self. "Ohayo, anata," she said, kissing her fiancé on his forehead. The father's stopped their blubbering for a few minutes to take note of that. Almost a year of being together, the couple really hadn't shown much public displays of affection, preferring to keep their romance private. "Breakfast is almost done. Don't mind Uncle Genma. He's been like that since yesterday." Marx nodded, before placing his head on the table. "Don't forget anata, that you need to get in touch with Shampoo today and schedule that meeting."

"Thanks for reminding me," Marx replied, muffled by the lacquered table.

"Why do you need to meet with that bimbo," Akane growled, directing her anger at Ranma's leaving to her sister's fiancé.

Her tone pulled the silver dragon to a state of alertness. "That, young lady, is between me and her. And none of your business."

"Oh, so you're going to be like that jerk Ranma and cheat on my sister?" Akane was starting to get furious over assumed cheating, much like she did while Ranma was here.

"No, Akane, I'm not. Just because I'm going to meet another girl means I'm going to cheat on Kasumi." Marx was already aggravated with Genma's whining, and Akane was starting to push him over the edge. Something you don't want to do to a dragon, since the results could be…unfortunate. The heiress to the Tendo School of Indiscriminate Grappling paused in her ranting on their tenant. "All I would like is a quiet weekend at home, is that too much to ask?" With that, and before his landlord became short one daughter, Marx grabbed his coffee cup and left the dining room.

Kasumi walked in just after he left. "Where did Christopher disappear to?"

"I think he disappeared to your room," Nabiki said. "Akane's slipping back into her routine. Plus Daddy and Uncle Saotome aren't helping."

"Oh, I hope he's alright."

Nabiki patted her sister's arm. "I'm sure he is, 'neechan. He just seems frustrated at all the lunacy here."

"Nabiki, I have a question for you. To whom does the property go to in the event of Daddy's death?"

"Why, are you plotting a murder?"

"No, 'moutochan. It's just that I'd hate to see our family home in Akane's hands. I want to protect what our ancestors fought so hard to earn from the Mikado."

Nabiki cringed, sort of. She had planned on selling the property if she had become caretaker of the estate. But since Marx arrived, and her graduation from high school, the more mercenary Tendo had become more of a realist. There were ways of making money that were more on the level than what she'd done since their mother died. "I'll help you out, if you'd like. There's a lot of family history in this place. And it wouldn't do for our legacy in the community to disappear.

"If memory serves, the compound goes to the heir of the school. Which, right now, is Akane. I don't remember if there is a codicil should either of us marry first, we share the estate with our husband. Which could be why Daddy and Uncle Saotome have been so insistent on Akane and Ranma marrying.

The two sisters stopped in front of the room Kasumi shared with her fiancé. As Kasumi placed her hand on the knob, Nabiki placed her hand on her sister's arm. "I need to talk to you and Marx. I was going to do it last night…but Lauren and I got caught up in the moment." Kasumi nodded and opened the door. Both sisters walked in, and walked into Dai Ryuujin no Nishi's treasure trove. Nabiki's eyes grew as big as saucers when she saw even just a portion of Marx's wealth. Her next statement was unlike her. "Oh my."

There was a deep-throated chuckle coming from another part of the cavern. "**It seems your sister is surprised by what I'm worth.**" Marx walked up and placed his head on his fiancée's shoulder.

"She is, anata." Reflexively, Kasumi reached up and stroked her draconic fiancé's chin. Marx began purring like a big cat, which pulled Nabiki out of her stupor.

"Kasumi, Chris…Dai Ryuujin…"

"'**Christopher**'** is fine Nabiki.**"

"Anyway, I wanted to tell you that I got a call from Ranma. He's asked me to tell the two of you that he's fine…"

"Where is he? How is he? Why did he do it?" Kasumi asked. Ranma had been an integral part of her life for the better part of two years, so she had every reason to be concerned.

Nabiki smiled at her sister. Concerned for Ranma, even though he was the biggest pain in the butt there was. "He's fine. He left because he needed to escape the insanity of Nerima. And he wasn't getting any closer to Akane, despite what the fathers thought. He's moved back in with his mother, in Juuban. Ranma's taken control of his life again."

"**That's good to hear. It's also good that he's become his own man. There's quite the potential for good in the lad.**"

"Christopher-san," Nabiki said formally, "don't take Akane too literally. She's just unused to dealing with her feelings. She's had everything she ever wanted handed to her without asking."

"**I usually don't. But when my honor is questioned, without a basis of facts, then she should be prepared to pay the consequences.**" Marx felt his fiancée give an involuntary shudder. "**Don't worry, Kasumi. I wouldn't do anything fatal. Just enough to give her a…gentle nudge in the right direction.**"

"Well, I've got to get ready. Lauren is meeting me on campus before we go see a movie. I'll see the two of you later." Nabiki started to turn to leave, before a claw firmly stopped her.

"**Nabiki. I know you're going to be my sister-in-law, but if you are going to take anything, I'd at least like you to ask.**" Grinning sheepishly, Nabiki opened her hand and held out a ruby the size of a robin's egg. "**Keep it this time, and consider it my rent for the remainder of the year. Ok?**"

"Of course," Nabiki replied, thankful that she was keeping her head. Marx, or rather Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, told a story of what happened when he found a thief in his lair. It wasn't a pretty picture.

"Christopher, I have a question for you. I know we're engaged, but have we ever thought of when we want to get married?"

"Well," Marx said as he swept his fiancée up in his arms, "how soon do you want to?"

"How about after your promotion comes through?"

"That'll work out well enough. And it'll give me enough time to contact my family so that they can get their passports in order, and make arrangements for airline tickets."

"I wish I had a chance to meet them, but…"

"No buts, love. I've talked to them, they've seen your photo. And they really like you, and can't wait to meet you." Marx let his fiancée go, and began getting dressed. "I'm meeting Shampoo in the woods outside of town. It's safe enough from prying eyes, and neutral for the two of us."

Kasumi kissed Marx on the cheek. "Good luck."


	11. Chapter the Eleventh

**An American Dragon in Nerima**

The week following Ranma's return to his home in Juuban had been strangely quiet for what was usually a bustling household. Granted the fathers were crying up a storm at the distinct possibility of the Saotome-Tendo union not happening. In fact, earlier in the week, Nodoka had stopped by, supposedly to talk to Kasumi about wedding plans, but let slip that Ranma had moved in with her, was doing quite well at Juuban High, and was dating an older woman. That had surprised the eavesdropping fathers. And when Akane had heard that news, she went ballistic.

Kasumi had kept a calm front about it, but was upset that her baby sister would act like a spoiled brat—albeit a spoiled brat that could seriously injure someone. Add to the fact that she was still upset with Ryouga's deception as her pet pig P-Chan, putting him into the hospital for an extended stay, Akane needed a serious cooling down.

Marx spent the week bouncing around Japan. His assignment as the 374th Security Forces Squadron's military-civil affairs troubleshooter had gotten not just CINCPACAF's attention, but also CINCPAC's, and had him reviewing policies at all the bases in Japan. It also required him to review a few serious incidents and adjust policy for those bases. In fact, that Saturday had him on a C-21 enroute to Yokota from Kadena, asleep in the back.

------ 

It was that morning that one of Ranma's former formally recognized fiancées was being removed from consideration. Shampoo should have realized something when she walked down the stairs from the apartments above the dining room in the Nekohanten. The lights were off, as candles threw guttering pools of light, reminding the Amazon of her village. But what really should have tipped her off was that Cologne wasn't perched on her staff. Add the fact that she, along with Mousse and Tigar, were in formal robes, and not their usual clothes.

"Xian Pu," Cologne intoned formally, "have you found any trace of Son-in-Law?"

"No, Great-Grandmother." Shampoo replied tensely, although she had schooled her features. She'd failed time after time to capture the aquatransexual who defeated her on a regular basis. And she knew the penalty for failure.

As much as she enjoyed her semiretirement in Nerima, far away from Council politics, with it's never ending martial arts floorshow, and the continual training Ranma before he left—it was a pleasure for the elder to teach someone who lived, breathed and slept the Art—but Cologne would much rather have the boy in the tribe, even despite the fact he was trained in that despicable pervert's art. And Shampoo's bungled attempts to woo the boy by magic didn't help.

Plus, when the fact that Shampoo spent most of the past week at the Tendos watching over both the family and Dai Ryuujin no Nishi without successfully locating the golden key that, by right of conquest, was an Amazon possession was added to the mix, it didn't look good for the lavender haired warrior.

There was an additional factor that added in to Cologne's decision to cut the Amazons losses in Nerima and run—internal tribal politics. The matriarch's eyes and ears within the village were sending her reports that rival elders were planning something against her for her failure to bring the Saotome boy into the tribe as well as her failure to deal with the silver dragon.

"Xian Pu," Cologne said, "you have failed in capturing the heart of the warrior Ranma Saotome, and bring him into the tribe.

"You have failed to retrieve a rare Amazon treasure held in the clutches of the vile Dai Ryuujin no Nishi.

"While in the lair of the wily beast, you failed to eliminate an enemy of the tribe. Dai Ryuujin no Nishi yet breathes, and you did nothing about him.

"You have been found wanting as an Amazon, Xian Pu; a failure to your family, your clan, your tribe, and your ancestors.

"Before sentence is passed, do you have anything to say in your defense?"

With fire in her eyes, Shampoo held her tongue. Even though she wanted to blame her great-grandmother as the cause of her failures—for not training her in the more advanced techniques, and for not teaching her the necessary magic—the lavender haired warrior knew when to fight and when to admit she lost. This was one battle that she lost. "No, Elder," she replied, neutrally. "I do not. My failures are my own. My dishonor is my own."

"Know then this- Xian Pu, you are no longer an Amazon warrior." At a subtle signal from Cologne, Tigar took a pair of barber shears and cut short Shampoo's long hair. Cologne continued. "You are cast out of the Clan, the Tribe, and your family. Seek not aid or comfort in Amazon territory.

"Be gone, Lost One." As Shampoo fled the restaurant that had been her home for the past two years, Cologne turned to the other Amazons. "Find me Saotome. Tell him that the Kiss of Marriage and Kiss of Death have been annulled, and that the Amazons wish to discuss reconciliation and the possibilities of an alliance." Tigar and Mousse bowed and left the restaurant.  
------

Marx was walking into the compound, dog-tired from his flight back from Kadena. Granted he slept most of the flight, it was still a long flight, but it was still the aggravation of going to Okinawa to look at what the Marines were doing wrong when they were off duty. Almost immediately something felt…odd. And if it wasn't the familiar kitten with the purple feet in front of him, then he was Napoleon Bonaparte. "Hello, Xian Pu." The kitten gave a pitiful meow. "Let me get you some hot water so it doesn't look so odd." The kitten meowed again. "And a robe, I know." He picked the kitten up and carried her into the Tendo home.

"Eventful week, Christopher?" Kasumi asked as her fiancé walked into the kitchen. "Hello, Shampoo." The kitten nodded at Kasumi.

"You could say that. Is the kettle on? I need to have a talk with Shampoo."

Kasumi looked slightly abashed. "Since Ranma left, I haven't really thought about having it ready. I'll put it on now."

"Thanks, Kasumi." Marx looked at the kitten squirming in his arms. "Relax, Shampoo. We'll get you a robe." He handed her off to Kasumi, and headed back to their room to change out of his Class-Bs. He returned a few minutes later carrying a robe. "I'll…" he said, as he motioned to leave the kitchen. Kasumi nodded.

One cloud of steam later, Kasumi called her fiancé back in. "Tea will be ready in a few minutes." The eldest Tendo daughter had such a look of shock on her face that she slipped back into her safe place: her role as homemaker.

"Thanks." Marx looked at the roughly shorn Amazon in front of him. He slipped into her native Joketsuzoku-accented Mandarin. "So what happened?"

Shampoo sighed and looked at the dragon turned man with a dejected look. "Great Grandmother kicked me out of the tribe. I'm no longer an Amazon."

"For what?"

"For failing to bring Ranma around to love me, for failing to bring in your golden key, for failing to kill you."

"Damn," Marx said. He quickly translated the conversation so far for Kasumi.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, Shampoo. If you need anything…"

"I do. Lodging would be appreciated. But I no able to pay rent."

"And I doubt Akane would like you sleeping here," Kasumi said. "She still thinks that you're after Ranma."

"If I know Great Grandmother, that first thing she cancel. Ranma no have to worry about Kiss of Marriage. But Great Grandmother will try to ally Ranma with Joketsuzoku against Dai Ryuujin no Nishi."

"Well, I'm sure Ranma may appreciate that," Marx said. "We'll tell him after we find him." He looked at the former Amazon. "And as for you, this is Japan. You have no working papers, no sponsors here. If Immigration finds you here without those, you'll be deported back to China. And back to your village, where I'm sure you'll find almost certain death.

"I have a suggestion, Xian Pu, but I don't know if you'll agree to it. Let me talk to Kasumi first, since she might be a part of it." The former Amazon nodded, letting Marx pull his fiancée into the dining room.

"What is it?"

Marx sighed. He wasn't ready for this, at all. And he really didn't know how Kasumi would react or respond to it. "There's something that's been in the back of my mind, ever since I told Shampoo my side of Jusenkyo's history: 'What if she gets kicked out of her tribe?' And I was going to tell you this before it happened, but events were pushed out of control, even for me."

"So what was your backup plan?" Kasumi had a hint of suspicion in her voice, similar to when he took her to the base Armed Forces Day dinner dance. He hadn't wanted to tick her off then, and he still didn't want to tick her off now.

Marx licked his lips. He was nervous—as nervous has he'd ever been in either of his entire lives. "I was going to suggest that I or we, if it happened after our wedding, adopt Shampoo."

Kasumi sighed in relief. "For a moment there, I thought you were going to marry her as well."

"Well, it had crossed my mind. Polygamous marriages are still on the books." Marx was glad that Kasumi didn't have her favorite butcher's knife in her hand then, even though he was saying it with a smile. "But I didn't think you were _that_ traditional."

"You can be such a pain. But I still love you."

"So what are we going to do about Shampoo?"

"Broach the question to her. It's her decision, although I doubt she'd be thrilled to have my baby sister as her aunt."

"True, but since Ranma left, it's not like they'll be vying for his affections." Marx said. "I'll broach it with her; are you ready for a seventeen year old daughter with her own ideas on life and marriage?"

Kasumi chuckled. "I am. After all, who do you think raised Nabiki and Akane after Mother died? But are you?"

Marx nodded his head. "Good point. Then we'll present this with a united front." Kasumi nodded, and the couple walked back into the kitchen. Marx cleared his throat. "Xian Pu, I…" he looked at his fiancée for support before continuing, "we would like to adopt you."

"Why?"

"It would make you 'legal' to the Japanese government. But, and most importantly, it would remove any stain on your honor from your banishment from the Joketsuzoku."

"That still doesn't answer my question, Yin Zi. Why would you adopt me?"

"I would also hope that it would end three thousand years of hostility between the Amazons and myself."

"I don't know if that would work, Yin Zi. But I will think about it."

"Shampoo, you are still welcome to lodging and meals here." Kasumi said with a smile. "I'll make sure that Akane understands that you're a houseguest."

"Thank you, Kasumi. Your hospitality is most welcome."

"You will be in my old room again, Shampoo," Kasumi offered. "After we fix that hair of yours." Shampoo bowed, grateful that they had offered her lodging and meals, and a chance to regain her damaged honor.

------ 

Off the Pacific coast of Japan, on one of the smaller islands, an eye opened. Firespur lifted her head and glared in the direction of her hated rival. "**I'll get you, Draconarius. You and your pathetic little human pet. No matter how long it takes, you will pay.**" The red dragoness looked at her injured body. It was even amazing that the dragon even survived getting hit by a Sidewinder missile. Her body was covered with multiple 3rd degree burns, gashes through the skin right down to the bone, her left wing was dragging on the ground, broken and the skin torn. She would be the perfect target for a younger red to take on and defeat. "**Perhaps after I recuperate, however.**" After the casting of a healing spell that barely managed to mend broken bones and skin tears in her damaged wing, Firespur leapt into the air, wincing with every wing beat back to her lair.

------ 

As Shampoo left the kitchen for her new room, Marx barely suppressed a shudder, like someone was walking over his grave. "Is something wrong?" Kasumi has a nervous expression on her face as she asked.

Marx took a sip of his green tea, and tried to remain calm about it. "I'm not sure. Although I think someone I thought dead isn't."

"Oh dear, I hope you don't have to fight her again," Kasumi was interrupted as her fiancé pulled her into his arms.

"Kasumi, I don't want to fight her either. But if I must, then I must. And like I said, she's prideful. And I know what mistakes she'll make this time. And if luck is on my side, we won't have to worry about her."


	12. Chapter the Twelveth

**An American Dragon in Nerima**

Marx just looked at his fiancée. Kasumi was standing there, getting dinner ready. And without Ranma being there, she didn't have to cook as much as she did before, although the way Genma ate, he was still living up to his name. The dragon smiled inwardly as he looked at her, remembering how Peng insisted on taking on the daily chores of cooking and cleaning. And the fights they got into over it, which led up to some intense making up. "Anata," Kasumi said, looking up at him from her preparations, "why don't you go and relax. You've had an intense week."

"You're right. I do need to relax, but I feel like something is going to happen if I let my guard down. There's something in the air that doesn't feel right."

"Well then after dinner go take a walk around, see if you're wrong." Marx nodded, and headed towards their room. He still had a report to fill out and forward to CINCWESTPAC about the Marines on Okinawa. Outside, storm clouds began gathering over Nerima.

------

The dread feeling that he felt earlier was coming closer when he heard Akane come in, apparently from the mall. The youngest Tendo was still irate about Ranma "abandoning" her, and with the Dojo in its current state of disrepair, couldn't take her frustrations out on her pig-tailed training dummies. There was an unfortunate consequence for the finances of the Tendo household. The money they were saving as a result of not having to replace construction materials and training dummies every few days was going to Akane's shopping fix. "I'm home," she announced, slipping off her shoes in the entryway.

"Dinner will be ready in half an hour," Kasumi called to her sister. "I've got everything under control in here," she quickly added, remembering her sister's penchant for wanting to help.

"Ok, 'neechan," she called.

As Akane trudged up the stairs, Kasumi remembered something. "Oh dear, I forgot to tell Akane that Shampoo is living with us." She began heading to the stairs to intercept her sister. The first bolt of lightening and the immediate following crack of thunder reverberated against the house.

"Shampoo! What the hell are you doing in my house?" It wasn't a subtle way of asking. Hell, the whole neighborhood was treated to Akane's shouting from the top of the stairs. Genma and Soun, their game of shogi interrupted by the shouting, ran to the stairs. Marx came running as well from his room.

"Shampoo guest of Nice Girl and Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, Kitchen Destroyer. It no business of yours."

"The hell it isn't, you Amazon hussy," Akane retorted. "You threw yourself on my fiancé damn near every time you came near him. And don't forget when he saved you from the Ghost Cat." Akane was seeing red, and didn't even notice that Shampoo's hair was shorter that normal, but trimmed cleanly. "I want you out of my house. NOW!"

Shampoo looked at Marx and Kasumi standing there, their mouths agape at Akane's lack of courtesy. Some exception could be made because Ranma left, but this went against all traditions. Bowing low, she switched to her native Mandarin and apologized. "Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, Kasumi, I humbly thank you for your treatment and your courtesy in dealing with this Lost One. But I fear that I cannot find a home here." She added that, glaring at Akane. "I think that I would have been proud to call you my parents." She turned to leave.

"Xian Pu," Marx called, "I think some resolution can be made right now. Don't leave yet." He turned to his future sister-in-law. "You have serious issues, young lady. Shampoo is not here as a suitor for Ranma. She's not here as a mistress for me. She's here as a guest. And a guest still has entitlements, such as not overextending their stay, and not being kicked out.

"There are issues that the three of us—Shampoo, your sister and myself—are working out. But, suffice to say, if they do work out, she will be a more permanent resident of the family."

"There is no way in hell I'm going to allow that slut to live in my house…"

There was a resounding slap, and Akane sported a palm print across her cheek. Kasumi looked at her younger sister. Marx saw that she was fed up just by the fury in his fiancée's eyes. "I am sick and tired of your 'spoiled brat' routine. I should have done this years ago. Nothing in this world is free. You, as a martial artist, should realize it. But you don't. You looked at what Ranma could do and thought you could be better, but you didn't realize that you were looking at a lifetime of training," Genma began beaming with pride, "by a sadistic fool of a father." His ego deflated as quickly as it inflated.

"Daughter," Soun growled, "apologize to my friend immediately."

Kasumi ignored her father and continued her rant. "You expect everyone to bow and scrape to you because you're the heir to Daddy's school. Respect is earned, not given, and you need to earn it. So what if you were the best martial artist in Nerima before Ranma showed up. It doesn't matter if you act like a child about it.

"Do you know why Ranma left? Because he got sick and tired of the bullshit that occurs here. He got sick and tired of not being trusted by the person who's supposed to be his fiancée, regardless of the fact that their engagement were arranged. And if I could go back in time, I'd correct that problem, but it doesn't matter, since I found someone who I love and trust implicitly.

"Christopher told you that Shampoo is having problems and is a guest here. He has as much authority as I do, because Father is incapable of being the head of house. Who manages the accounts? Nabiki does, not Father. Who makes sure that there is food on the table? Christopher and I do, not Father. We are, with all intents and purposes, the heads of this household, and this is our house."

Soun, frustrated until now that he couldn't get a word in edgewise took Kasumi's breather to interject. "You are correct, Daughter," he said. "I did place that codicil in the estate that whichever of my daughters marry first gets the house and Dojo, and not just the heir to the School." He looked at Akane. "I wish that it had been you, daughter, but with Ranma showing his true colors by deserting you, it falls to Kasumi." He looked at his eldest daughter. Marx had moved up behind her, and wrapped his arms around her waist. "If you and your fiancé truly believe that you are the heads of this household, then it is time that you two stepped up to the plate."

"Father," Kasumi said, "Christopher-kun has already formally proposed and I have accepted. Did you not notice the ring on my finger?"

"I did. I was wondering if he was going to ask permission of me to marry my daughter, or if he was going to surprise all of us with a 'shotgun' wedding."

"Gomen nasai, Tendo-sama," Marx said, bowing deeply. "We were planning on finalizing our wedding plans after my promotion comes through." There was glint in the dragon's eye that could promise pain. "However, Tendo-sama, you placed us into the position of a potential 'shotgun' wedding, when you and Genma-baka felt it appropriate to move Kasumi into my room. I did not press any objections, being an outsider to Japanese customs. Now, though, having lived with this family for as long as I have, I think it's time. In the name of trying to force two incompatible people together, you placed your eldest daughter in a position that could sully her own honor. I cannot abide by that, nor would I. However, since I love Kasumi with all my heart, and she loves me with all hers, that problem does not present itself. I would not, Tendo-san, try to force an issue that was not yours to begin with…" Marx was saved by the proverbial bell from upbraiding his father-in-law.

Kasumi released herself from her fiancé's grasp to answer to door. "Herb-sama, a pleasure to see you again. Ranma isn't living here anymore," she said.

"Kasumi-san," she replied as they walked towards the stairs, "I'm not here for Ranma, although by rights I should rechallenge him. I am here to meet with the person who fell into the First Spring." There was a reverence in her voice as she said it, as though she were talking about an ancestor.

Marx looked at Akane when he heard the voice. "We will continue this later, young lady." He turned to Shampoo. "Kasumi and I will switch to her old room, and you can take ours."

"That is not necessary, Yin Zi. But thank you. Akane and I," she said as she glared at her former rival/friend, "have some differences to work out, and I think the proximity to each other will help. And I would be glad to call you and Kasumi my parents."

Smiling Marx looked at Kasumi, and quickly translated what the former Amazon had said. Kasumi gave a sigh of relief, not for her sister, but the fact that Shampoo wouldn't have to face the world alone. "Chris, this young lady is looking for you."

"Can I help you," he asked.

"May I ask you some questions?" Herb asked, not sure if the American in front of her was the same one that the Guide had said that had fallen in to the Spring.

"Certainly. Why don't we move into the living room where we'll be more comfortable?"

"Thank you…"

"Christopher Marx," he replied, as they walked into the living room. Marx motioned for her to sit, as he sat. "So what can I do for you?"

"Did you happen to spend any time in China, Marx-san," she asked as she sat in the chair across from him.

"Yes I did. I spent about six months at a PLAAF base near Jusenkyo."

Herb's eyes widened when she heard that. "Just how did you learn of Jusenkyo?"

"From listening to wild rumors and folklore while on the base. I took a little trip out there."

The aquatransexual prince of the Musk Dynasty got off her chair, and knelt before him. "You are my ancestor. Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, I am a descendant of your son, this many generations later. You are the rightful leader of the Musk, and will lead us to great things in war against the Amazons." The house shook as another crack of thunder reverberated over Nerima.

Marx looked at the shocked expression on Xian Pu's face. Even though she was kicked out of the tribe, she was still, by heritage, an Amazon. "No. There will be no war with the Amazons."

"Why?"

"What do you know of the history of the Musk?"

Her slitted pupils narrowed. The heir to the Dynasty recited exactly what she'd been taught by her tutors. Which was almost a direct opposite, but exactly like what both Shampoo and Cologne had said. "Eldest, that is why we must go to war with the Amazons and finish them off, destroy them utterly." Kasumi had brought the Musk Prince a cup hot water to change back.

"No, Herb. There will be no war. My alter ego, the person you see before you, is a military historian. War does not solve anything, only creates new problems. I can recite chapter and verse of various military conflicts since I died, using the knowledge that Lt. Marx has learned, where the peace turned out to be more costly than before the war.

"Before Rol Lon took over as Matriarch, there was peace in the valley. After she assumed power, there was tension that, like that before an earthquake, built up until it exploded into all out war. And that war, my child, resulted in the death of Peng and myself, as well as the creation of Jusenkyo."

"Eldest, that is another concern of my father's, as well as my people. We have, for the lack of a better option, have used Jusenkyo to continue our nation. Without the Spring of Drowned Girl, I fear that our nation will die out."

"I cursed Jusenkyo as a punishment on the Amazons for betraying our trust. But, with my resurrection, the Springs are no longer cursed; because it is time to make amends for three thousand years of unrelenting hostility that neither nation can afford. There are also modern considerations, grandson.

"Beijing considers Qinghai to be a backwards province, one who's governor does not have full authority, because of the fighting between the Musk and Amazons and Phoenix. Beijing considers the three tribes as semi-autonomous, keeping a junior party boss as the official representative there to keep the peace, and ignore the internecine wars. But if the wars get too far out of hand, Beijing will send the army and air force in; remember there's an air force base only a half-day's drive away from Jusenkyo. Don't give me anything about being able to defeat the PLA, if it gets too bad, the Chinese will respond with special weapons. I do not want three thousand years of tradition for both tribes to end in a nuclear fireball."

"What of our enemies the Phoenix, Eldest?" Herb asked with complete sincerity. It was no lack of knowledge that the third tribe in the region was despised by the other two. "Shall we make peace with them?"

"Herb, Herb, Herb," Marx said with a hint of draconic chuckle. "Of course I do. Saffron was once an ally against the Amazons all those years ago. So it makes perfect sense that we add their strengths to the alliance of Jusenkyo tribes."

"And then we take over China?" The dragon princeling had this look of anticipation that made Marx nervous.

"No. We prove that the region around Jusenkyo can prosper in peace, and petition Beijing for autonomous rule. The way I wanted it to be all those years ago."

"I…see," Herb replied cautiously. "There is no honor in this, Eldest."

"Honor is in the end, not the means, my child. Didn't Sun Tzu say: 'Is it not better to defeat an enemy without firing a shot?' This is the most honorable way, Herb. Truly it is."

"I see your wisdom, Eldest of the Musk. I will depart and inform my father of your decision."

"Herb," Marx said, "don't think I am weak. I would rather not have to refight a war lost three millennia ago, if I can find a peaceful means to an end. Send emissaries under flag of truce to the other tribes. Kuh Lon has been in Nerima for far too long to be understanding of tribal politics. And her family has been in power for far too long."

"And what of Saffron? Reports from Jusendo indicate that Saotome killed the Phoenix King."

"His advisor and regent, Kiima, will act in his stead. And I'm sure she will have a level head.

"Contact me when you have made contact with leaders from the other tribes, so that we may set a date and location for this meeting."

"Understood, your Majesty," Herb replied, even though the princeling didn't like the idea of being his ancestor's errand boy. "By your leave." The young prince bowed to Marx, and thanked Kasumi for her hospitality, before leaving the house.

"Anata," Kasumi said, "is that wise?"

"I do not want a war. Hell, I've got enough problems as it is being in the American military."

"Why do you say that?" Kasumi snuggled next to her fiancé on the couch. Shampoo looked at her soon to be adoptive parents with a bit of envy. Part of her still wished that she could be doing that with the one person who captured her heart, even though he'll deny it to the last breath in his body.

"I go make dinner. Let you two get comfortable, yes," the lavender-haired former Amazon said, before bounding off to the kitchen.

Marx looked at the love of his life. "We really have to teach her proper Japanese, if not English," he said with a chuckle. His gaze turned serious. "With this global war on terrorism going on, I could be shipped out at any time, with minimal notice. I'm not just a military cop, I'm also an infantryman."

"I hope you don't have to go," she said, kissing her fiancé tenderly.

"That makes two of us." He changed the subject to one of more immediate importance. "What did your father have to say while I was entertaining my great-grandson?"

Kasumi laughed bitterly, but her eyes were tearful. "Father would like us married within the month, to take over the Dojo. Any later and he will declare me ronin, and strike my name from the Clan register."

"Crud," Marx muttered, as he wiped the tears from her face. "Looks like we need to plan a wedding in a month. I'll email my parents tonight, and see about plane tickets. I just can't wait to see what this is going to cost me," he added dryly.

Kasumi laughed, her humor restored. "Anata, aren't you like the richest person in the world right now?"

Marx gave her a sheepish grin. "What type of ceremony do we want? Shinto or Christian?"

"Baka Oyaji will probably want a Shinto wedding; he's that kind of traditionalist. If Mother were still alive, I think she'd want a Christian wedding, and I've always wanted one. The ceremony is simpler, and the gown doesn't feel so constricting." Kasumi had a wistful look in her eyes, when she mentioned her mother. Just from paying attention to his surroundings, Marx gleaned some information about his late mother-in-law. The cross Kasumi wore belonged to her mother, so she was possibly Catholic, but more likely Protestant, since it wasn't a crucifix. There were other little hints and clues as well.

"But it is our wedding," Marx countered. "If you want a non-Shinto wedding, that's up to us, not your father."

"I know, but it was something I was looking forward to," she countered. Kasumi had been the dutiful housewife ever since her mother died, so it was something that she wanted. But at the same time, she was thinking about how a simple Christian ceremony would honor her mother as well as her in-laws. "I tell you what, anata; we'll have a simple Protestant wedding. Mother had us baptized Lutheran, although we haven't gone to church since she died. I don't even know if the priest that was there when we went is still there."

"Only one way to find out, we'll go over tomorrow. Do you remember where it was?"

"I think I do."

Marx nodded. "Then we're going to church in the morning. Of course, the other option is we have the base chaplain marry us."

"We should keep that as a backup, definitely." Tantalizing aromas caught Kasumi's nose. "Mmm, what ever Shampoo is cooking sure does smell good."

Marx's more sensitive nose caught it as well. "Definitely. Almost as good as yours," he replied cautiously.


	13. Lucky Chapter the Thirteenth

**An American Dragon In Nerima**

It was amazing how quickly time passed by. For the two lovers, it was hectic arranging all the details. The church had another engagement for that day, as did the base chapel. The chaplain, though, didn't have a problem with holding the ceremony at the Dojo. There was a martial arts construction competition which rebuilt the actual dojo in less than a week. Nabiki had been called in to negotiate prices, and was able to get the best deals on everything from decorations to catering to music.

During this month was an even quicker wedding that Marx and Kasumi attended in Juuban, officiated by the grandfather of one of Setsuna's more troublesome students' friend at their shrine. There they were able to meet both Ranma's wife, and his sister; which caused some interesting things when Kasumi met Hotaru for the second time, although they became friends after sorting out their view of what happened before the fight with Firespur, even if Hotaru didn't really remember it. Nodoka met Marx for the first time, and commented to Kasumi how she was lucky to catch such a "manly man", even if he wasn't a martial artist. And of course, Happosai chose to pay his respects to the newlyweds, which led to very interesting things for most of the guests and the bride.

When the couple returned home after the wedding, Kasumi sighed at the results of Akane's latest attempt at cooking. There was a large, gelatinous mass sitting in the middle of the yard, with a hungry looking gleam in one of its pseudopods. The recipient of the gleam was currently refilling the koi pond. As the acting matriarch of the Tendo Clan scanned her domain, she noted that both the liquor cabinet and shogi table were nowhere to be found. "Oh boy," she muttered, as she ran into the house to check on the status of her personal space.

Marx chuckled at the sight of Genma-panda, save for his head, encased inside the…whatever it was. Help me! Flip. Someone, please! One of the innate abilities of a silver dragon is the ability to communicate in most languages. And it was surprising that this giant amoeba-type creature, born from Akane's cooking, had a developed speech center and sentience. "That panda'll give you indigestion, little one," he said. To the Tendos, it sounded like a series of high pitched screeches and scratches.

"He looks edible," the mass replied. "Kind of tough and chewy though."

"Might I recommend spitting that piece of heartburn out? There are more tasty morsels in the sewer system. And you'll be doing the city of Tokyo a public service by keeping it vermin free. Just try not to eat any two legs, unless they're doing something wrong."

"I guess I can do that." A skinned panda, save for his head, went flying out of the creature, covered in protoplasm. The hungry gleam disappeared, as the creature rolled away, and down into a storm drain. In the coming years, the Tokyo Water and Sewer Department would report a surprising decline in sewer rats and other vermin that normally infest the labyrinthine network of tunnels under a major city. Small giant amoeba could be seen rolling along the countryside from Tokyo to the other major cities in Japan, then to minor cities and outlying towns. The World Health Organization would note that Japanese sewers were the cleanest and safest in the world, but the report refused to cite the exact reason why, since those who wrote the report still were unable to comprehend exactly what did that job.

Thank you, Marx-san, Genma-panda signed. Where were you two, anyway? Flip. We were forced to have Akane cook for us.

"We were at Ranma-kun's wedding to Setsuna Meiou. Setsuna-san was a most lovely bride," Kasumi said, relieved after checking that Akane hadn't worked her (black) magic on her knives.

"WAH!" Soun began to wail. "NOW THE HOUSES WON'T BE JOINED!" The Tendo patriarch's wail as soon accompanied by an increase in his crying.

"We'll go drag my ungrateful boy back and have him marry Akane this evening. He should still be dressed," Genma pronounced, after changing back to his normal form.

"No." Kasumi said. "You will not drag Ranma back here. He is a married man now." Marx stood in the background, letting his fiancée handle her father, and his lazy panda of a friend.

"But Kasumi, for the honor of the Saotome-Tendo union, Akane must marry Ranma," Soun wailed.

"No, Father. As far as the agreement calls for is the engagement of a Saotome to a Tendo. It does not call for any specific timeline for the union to occur."

"But my ungrateful boy married someone else."

"Because you two kept forcing him to marry my sister. If the two of you hadn't announced that Akane was going to be his fiancée when you and Ranma arrived, then perhaps they could have grown to love each other.

"But that doesn't matter now, does it. You two forced Ranma on Akane, never allowed them time to get to know each other, always listened to my violent sister, as if what she said was gospel, even when she was wrong, and even toyed with Ranma's honor.

"Oji-san, if you so much as discuss going after my little brother, then I'll let my fiancé discuss this with you. Remember what Marx-san is, oyaji." Genma nodded hesitantly. Dealing with Happosai could be less hazardous to his health than dealing with a silver dragon. Especially if that silver dragon was pissed at him. "Now, if you'll excuse us, I'm tired and going to bed."

"And if either of you decide to interrupt Ranma on his honeymoon, I shall say 'Ni' until you die," Marx said with a toothy smile and fake British accent. He left chuckling, leaving the fathers with a confused look on their faces.

"What was that all about, Tendo?" Genma asked.

"I have no idea, Saotome. Must be that odd American humor; you'd think we'd be used to it by now."

With all the goings on, it was amazing that for Marx it seemed he fell asleep that night, and woke up to his wedding day. He'd scheduled his leave about half way through the month, but it just came as a surprise. His family arrived as scheduled, and they'd put them up in the Cerulean Tower Tokyo Hotel in downtown Shibuya-ku for three weeks. It was an early anniversary present for Marx's parents and a vacation for his sister and her children. Marx's brother-in-law hadn't been able to get the time off.

Marx opened his eye as the alarm was going off. He shut the alarm off. Since it was their wedding day, his bride to be wasn't there. It was traditional that the groom not see the bride before the wedding, lest they suffer from bad luck. He just wanted to go back to bed, but knew that wouldn't work. He got out of the bed he shared with his soon to be wife, and threw on a robe. Heading out to the kitchen, he saw half the dimwitted duo sitting there, staring at the koi pond, munching on bamboo shoots, and not in his cursed form. "Where's Soun," Marx asked.

"He's with his daughters, like the father of the bride should." The portly martial artist regarded the American dragon next to him. "Let me ask you this, Marx-san: If I made amends to my son, would Ranma want me back in his life?"

Marx thought about it, as he made himself a cup of tea. "Ranma was hurt by a lack of trust in numerous people within this house. Akane only saw him as a prize to be won or lost and as a convenient outlet for her anger. Soun only saw him as a means to ensure the legacy of the Tendo School of Anything Goes continues; but since Akane doesn't know anything other than the basic beginner forms, it would have been up to Soun to grow up and teach his new heir. Unfortunately, you saw him as a meal ticket, a means to a life of living off your son's successes; not exactly an admirable trait in a father.

"Add in the numerous fiancées that you engaged him to, the fact that you chose to listen to Akane and not to your own son, it makes it for a difficult decision on his part. Right now, he's madder at you for screwing up his life to the point where he had to question his honor, and marry into his bride's clan to save what personal honor he has than willing to let you back into his heart. And, somehow, I doubt that he'll be willing to return to the Saotome Clan anytime soon. Even your wife gave her blessing to marry out of the clan to preserve the honor of the fiancées."

Genma looked at Marx, standing there, sipping his tea. "Thank you, Marx-san, for you views. I have much to meditate on."

"Saotome-san, go home to your wife. Apologize to her. You may still have potential to do good, but it's been buried by your years of training under Happosai and your petty thievery. Be glad I haven't hauled your butt down to the local precinct like I've wanted to do, for the numerous accounts of petty thievery that have followed you since your apprenticeship to Happosai.

"Learn from your mistakes, and grow." With out a word, Genma stood, and walked out of the kitchen. Marx just hoped that the overweight martial artist would follow his advice.

* * *

The day progressed for Kasumi and her wedding party in Minato-ku, at Shingen Japon, getting their hair and makeup done. Akane was actually calm around Xian Pu, since neither former fiancée of Ranma Meiou had a target for their affections anymore. Marx's mother idly chatted away with her daughter-in-law. "Kasumi, I know you've told me that your family has a tight budget. How can you afford this?"

Kasumi smiled at her mother-in-law, glad for her fiancé's English lessons. "Well, when Christopher-kun was in China, something happened to him."

"What happened to my son?" Marx's mother asked, her curiosity piqued.

"Something wonderful," Kasumi replied, "and yet something dangerous. There are people who would like to do nothing better than kill, injure or capture my fiancé. But it brought your son to my house, and into my heart, Ginny-san. And because of the trials we have faced together, and will face together, Christopher-kun and I have grown closer than lovers."

Marx's mother raised an eyebrow at what her daughter-in-law said. "Who's after my son?"

Kasumi chuckled lightly. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"I guess you're right," Mrs. Marx said, with a resigned sigh. "My son's letters home have been kind of light as to personal information."

"He does it to protect himself as well as his family. The people who want to do harm to him have no qualms about harming his loved ones as well."

"I'm sure there's more to it, but I'll leave well enough alone." There was the hint of a sweat drop on the back of her mother-in-law's head, and the way she said what she said left a lot of opening for interpretation.

* * *

With the hour of the wedding approaching like a stalker, Marx was getting nervous—not butterflies in the stomach nervous, but high performance fighters in the gut nervous. He paced around the kitchen of the Dojo like a caged tiger. Especially since the rest of the house was off limits to him. "Why don't you relax," his best man asked.

"Ranma, I recall you were this nervous last month," Marx replied, as he poured a shot of Makers' Mark left over from last night's bachelor party and downed it. The whiskey seemed to calm him down slightly. Ranma declined a response, since he knew that Marx was right. "Well," he said, looking at the clock, "we might as well get this on." Ranma nodded as the groom, for the second time in thirty days, pulled on his mess dress jacket.

"Marx-san," Ranma said, "don't worry. Kasumi is a wonderful woman, who loves you unconditionally." The pigtailed martial artist looked at the American who was marrying his one-time sister in law. "Now, if you make the most beloved person in Nerima unhappy, I will personally do something painful to you, dragon or not."

"Ranma, I would never hurt Kasumi. She reminds me too much of Peng to let that happen," Marx replied, letting his draconic alter ego answer. Both sides of the being known as Christopher Marx knew that hurting Kasumi would be the last thing they'd ever do. The human dragon could remember being loved by two different sets of parents—his draconic parents in the Swiss Alps who died fighting Lividicus' hordes from trying to take over the world, and his human parents—as well as being instilled with the same ideals of honor and ethics that created who he was today.

"I just needed to hear that, Marx-san. Sorry 'bout that."

"Ranma," Marx replied, "I've been living in this household long enough to know that the truth is a distorted thing. And I know you'd want reassurance for that the girl you thought of as your big sister was marrying the right man for her."

"Even if that man was mostly dragon," Ranma said lightly. "You'll make her a good husband. Now, I don't think it's customary for the bride to wait on the groom."

Marx stood at the head of the dojo, with Ranma behind him, and the base chaplain, Father (LTC) Burns. He was looking calm, if only because of the shot of whiskey from earlier. Ranma cracked a joke that relieved the tension in the air. A canned version of "Here Comes the Bride" began playing, and the guests stood. The bridesmaids entered, with Marx's sister first, followed by Akane, Setsuna, Shampoo, and then Nabiki, as the maid of honor. Soun entered, dressed in his best formal kimono and hakama, and looking proud that this day had come.

It was Kasumi, however, that took her soon-to-be husband's breath away. She was dressed in Peng's wedding robes and headpiece. To Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, she was Peng brought back to life. For Marx, she was the most beautiful thing in the world, as she walked down the informal aisle.

Soun handed his eldest daughter to the American lieutenant, a tear running down his cheek. The formality of the ceremony was that important to the Tendo patriarch that he managed to keep his waterworks in check. "I just wish your mother were here to see this day, Kasumi-chan," he said before he turned and took his seat.

* * *

As one union began, another one was beginning to be discussed. In Firespur's lair, a ball of magical energy formed, disturbing the resting dragon. Dressed in his immaculate robes, Lividicus walked into the lair. The lich looked around at the cave and sniffed. "Hello, Firespur. You seemed to come out the worse for wear in your little fight with Draconarius."

The red wyrm rolled her uninjured eye at the lich. "What do you want, mage?" She rasped, which led to a hacking cough from her injured lungs.

"My dear, I wish to offer a simple arrangement."

"What kind of arrangement?"

"You will keep Draconarius occupied while I retrieve something near and dear to me."

"So what's in it for me, mage, besides the defeat of my nemesis?"

"I will present to you nine young women, mostly girls, for you to snack on. And I believe one of them you had in your clutches already."

"That's nothing. I had more presented to me when I woke up.

"Wait a moment. Which one?"

"Ah, but that is a secret. When they're gone, as well as Draconarius, you can have the whole of Japan as your domain, free to do with as you will."

Firespur responded with another round of hacking coughs. "I will think on it mage. Now, get out." Lividicus nodded, and walked back through his gate.

* * *

"I now pronounce you man and wife," Fr. Burns stated formally. "You may kiss the bride."

Marx kissed Kasumi amid the applause of the families, friends and coworkers. The two walked down the aisle, to the wedding march from Mendelssohn's music to _A Midsummer's Night Dream_, cameras going off. The couple and wedding party paused at the doors of the dojo to receive their guests. There was much handshaking, hugs, and congratulations from the families, and their guests.

As the couple approached the open doors after the last of the well wishers left the dojo, members from the 374th Security Forces Squadron, dressed in formal Class A's, snapped to attention. "Present arms!" Master Sergeant Spirenburg shouted. The twelve man formation in front of the doors drew their ceremonial sabers and formed an arch over the path. Marx and Kasumi ducked to cross under the saber arch, amid showers of rice. The Master Sergeant and his assistant dropped their sabers, blocking the path. "Congratulations, Lieutenant. Mrs. Marx, welcome to the Air Force," he said, before returning his saber to the arch.


	14. Chapter the Fourteenth

Kasumi woke up, as she had every morning since the moronic duo moved her into her fiancé's room, alone. Of course, it was now her and her husband's room. Her husband was either at work, or on his way to Tachikawa, to Yokota Airbase. As Kasumi climbed out of bed and put her robe on, a wave of nausea hit her. _Maybe we shouldn't have tried that new Mexican place last night_, she thought to herself, as she swallowed it back. As she walked out of the room, the second wave hit, and almost landed on the polished hardwood floor. Kasumi ran to the bathroom, and barely made it as the third wave came up, along with last night's enchiladas. "You all right, sis," Akane asked through the door.

"I'm fine, Akane. I think I have a bit of a bug."

"Would you like me to make breakfast instead of going on my morning run?"

"Kitchen Destroyer, go on your run," Shampoo could be heard from upstairs. "Last time you made dinner, it almost ate stupid panda man. I'll make breakfast." Kasumi could almost hear her little sister muttering the dirty names about her accidental niece, as she rinsed her mouth out with a glass of cool water.

_I'm late, I'm throwing up in the morning…Oh my! I think, I hope, Chris'll be happy,_ she thought to herself, as she made herself presentable to the rest of the family. And it was a smaller family in the past few weeks. Nabiki was home only on weekends from Todai; Ranma had moved to Juuban, and Nodoka had come by to remove her wayward husband. Now the only time Soun saw his friend was when Genma stopped by to play shogi, and commiserate with his friend on the collapse of the Tendo-Saotome union. Granted Chris and Shampoo were there, but they didn't really cause the same huge dents in the food bill that the Saotomes caused. _But to be sure, I'll need to call the doctor. I wish Tofuu-sensei didn't have that problem he has with me, I hate to inconvenience Mizuno-sensei with this kind of visit._

Shampoo brought Kasumi a steaming mug of herbal tea. "Here, Kasumi," she said, handing her the mug. Kasumi sniffed the steaming mug, and gave her adopted daughter an arched eyebrow. "It's an ancient Amazon remedy for early pregnancies. It'll help take the edge off. Now, sit and relax. It's my turn to help you."

"Thank you, Shampoo," she replied.

00000

Marx sat in his office, an earthenware cup of green tea steaming away untouched on the desk next to him, as he read the court martial transcripts of Sgt. Harnett's statutory rape in Chiba. The board found him guilty after only a few hours of deliberation. Even though the American military wanted to wash its hands of the whole affair, the Tokyo area judicial system transferred authority back to the Air Force. "Such a waste of a good NCO," he said out loud.

"I know what you mean, Marx," Captain Schuler said, from his XO's door. "It's a damn shame he got caught up in that sting operation." Schuler walked in, closing the door behind him, and looked around his XO's office. He noticed three pairs of black boots, all with professional polishes and lace-in zippers, a pair of tan boots and a pair of low quarters sitting next to the door. "He'll be breaking big rocks into little rocks for a long time to come. I doubt that he'll have a good time in prison."

"Can I get you a cup of tea or coffee, sir?" CPT. Schuler declined. "Why is it that the military has such bad apples in it?" Marx asked rhetorically.

"Because we're in an all volunteer system, Lieutenant; which means we can no longer weed out the good from the bad in basic training and technical school."

"I know sir, I know." Marx rubbed his temple.

"Eyes bothering you?"

"Every now and then sir. I guess maybe that Chinese solution for my eyes didn't work after all. Funny, though, is it hasn't affected my distance vision. I can see well enough to qualify on the range."

"Chris," Schuler said, "you get 40 out of 40 every time, center mass. And before you say it was from your time in the Army, I've seen those records. The highest you ever got was 32 out of 40. Schedule an appointment with the hospital to get your eyes checked."

"Roger, sir."

"You going to the chow hall for lunch later?"

Marx smiled. "No sir. Kasumi packed me a bento."

Schuler shook his head. "Marx, I swear you're turning Japanese on us."

"Well, sir, you did want someone to handle your military-civilian affairs staff." Marx shrugged, and added, "And I did marry a proper Japanese housewife, after all. Can I help it if she doesn't want to see her husband go hungry?"

"And I'll be you're wearing house slippers too." Marx grinned sheepishly. "You _are_ turning Japanese," Schuler shook his head again, and, as he left Marx's office, wondered who he pissed off to get such an oddball executive officer.

00000

Kasumi sat in the kitchen, drinking a cup of tea; or at least looking like she was drinking it. The tea cup hadn't left the table, and had the same amount of fluid in it as when she poured it. The Wa of the house had sensed her desire for privacy, and kept her father out of the kitchen. Even Shampoo could see that her foster mother wanted to be alone. She was unsure of what to do, or how her husband would react. As she stared at the cooling cup of tea, Kasumi even thought about the danger to her child from both Firespur, if she were still alive, and the Amazons.

There was a commotion coming from outside, and as Kasumi got up, she could see Shampoo visibly stiffen. "So, the rumors that Kuh Lon exiled her own heir weren't falsehoods," followed by a cackling laugh. There aren't many things that would cause an Amazon warrior to pale, but the sight of your great-grandmother's arch-rival on the Council cackling her head off should probably rate up there with "The PLA is attacking again." Insert sigh here, followed by "And this time our agents report that they've gotten permission for special weapons."

Kasumi made her way to the engawa, and looked at the three foot tall gnome, er…Elder standing in the yard. "May I help you," Kasumi asked politely, if testily.

"Forgive my intrusion. I am Elder Bin Gai. My family once held the seat of Matriarch, until my ancestor died and Rol Lon took over. Young Herb of the Musk approached me under embassy, that Yin Zi would be willing to propose a truce between the Amazon Nation, the Musk and the Phoenix."

Kasumi nodded. "My husband is at work right now. Baring traffic, he should be home sometime around six thirty."

"I take it your husband is Yin Zi?" Kasumi nodded again. "I suppose I could ask what proof there is of that."

"My husband was the last person to fall into any spring of Jusenkyo, let alone Dai Ryuujin no Nishi. Prince Herb has acknowledged my husband's status as forbearer of the Musk Dynasty. Those two things should be enough, Honored Elder," Kasumi replied, rather testily. She was being interrogated for no reason, she was aggravated, and her hormones were bouncing around, getting that part of the pregnancy started early. But before Elder Bin Gai could answer, a particular golden key appeared in Kasumi's hand. "Perhaps this key, which Kuh Lon claims as an Amazon treasure, is proof enough, Honored Elder."

Shampoo's eyes went wide when she saw the key. "If I hadn't already known that my foster father was Dai Ryuujin no Nishi and my foster mother soulbonded to him, then I would not doubt Kasumi's claim," the former Amazon remarked.

Bin Gai reached out for the key, only to have her hand smacked away by a wooden soup spoon, like a naughty schoolgirl. Kasumi made the ring disappear again. "So, it is true. The ancient stories, the ones not told to the Warriors or the other Amazons about Dai Ryuujin no Nishi tell that Peng Xuan Yang was not ensorcelled by the dragon, that she could call the key at any time as well as her husband."

Bin Gai looked at Shampoo. "There are the stories that my family carried down through the generations after my ancestor, the last of the Greek matriarchs, died. Unfortunately, what the Elders were taught about Yin Zi are lies and fabrications spread by Rol Lon and her family. I assume that Yin Zi told you the truth of the Valley of Jusenkyo?" Shampoo nodded.

"Then I am sorry Xian Pu that your great grandmother could not find it in her heart to live in harmony with the dragon and his allies. And I regret that you were cast out of the tribe. Kuh Lon always did think that our tribe was still something to be reckoned with. That began to end when we heard of the horrors during that particularly nasty family fight in Europe back in the second decade of the 20th Century, and then when we heard of what happened to Nanking and Shanghai by the Japanese forces. Of course, Stalin and Hitler weren't anything to laugh at, either." She smiled at the amazed look on Kasumi's face, and cackled. "Oh yes, despite what my dear colleague may have told you, the Council is quite current on world events. It helps us keep up to date with our perennial adversaries in Beijing.

"With your permission, Lady Dragon, I would like to wait for your husband here."

"I have no problem with that, Honored Elder. Would you care for some tea?"

"Thank you, deary. And congratulations."

"Congratulations?" Kasumi asked, pausing in her preparations of a new pot of tea. Her pregnancy was only known to Setsuna, Shampoo and Dr. Mizuno. She hadn't even had the gumption to tell her husband that their honeymoon in London had results.

"On your pregnancy, Lady Dragon. I saw it in your aura." Kasumi stayed silent, but raised an eyebrow. "I shouldn't say anymore," the Elder said, finally after a deafeningly long silence.

"I understand, Elder. I'm still coming to terms with it myself. I love my husband dearly, but…"

Bin Gai cackled in amusement, her dark eyes shining brightly. "I swear the Goddesses placed men on this planet for their amusement; especially since they tend to cloud even the clearest of minds with indecision and frustration. I loved my three husbands all equally, but they gave me such headaches as the like I've not experienced before."

Kasumi smiled a genuine smile, nodding her head in agreement with Bin Gai. She looked at her foster daughter. "I just wish Shampoo would get over her infatuation with her uncle," she said, the smile still on her face.

Bin Gai's eyes brightened. "Surely the Saotome boy didn't marry your little sister."

"No, thank the Kami. And no, Ranma-onna didn't marry Nabiki, although _that_ would have been an interesting relationship; the kind that would make you wonder who was going to be the husband in that couple.

"It's just that I feel that Ranma's been like the brother I wish I had. He was always so protective and supporting of me. After the wedding fiasco," there was a reproachful look at Shampoo for her role in that disaster, "he always took time to just talk to me. Even when my husband wasn't here because of work, Ranma'd always find time to just talk with me."

"I'm sure that Shampoo will find someone. It's a shame that I was the only one who saw the potential of that boy, or rather girl, and was the only Councilmember who opposed holding Xian Pu to the Laws."

"Elder," Shampoo asked, her voice small, "is there, then anything you can do about my banishment?"

Bin Gai looked at lavender-tressed former Amazon. Although her hair was now done in a tastefully short hairstyle, the pride was still evident, the courage was still there, the core of tempered steel would not be diminished, and the fire of an Amazon warrior was still in her eyes. "Even if I could adopt you into my Clan, Xian Pu, you would still be considered an Outsider. Kuh Lon contacted the Council the very day that she banished you, and followed the dictates of the banishment laws. You would be subject to the Kiss of Death, just as you placed on Ranma, when he defeated you for your feast.

"However, you have been adopted into a noble family. Dai Ryuujin no Nishi was known throughout the Valley for his compassion. My ancestors would tell our family tales of Dai Ryuujin no Nishi, tales passed down from great Hypolita, may Artemis continue to guide her spirit, that he was slow to anger, but once angered, he was an implacable enemy, as Rol Lon found out.

"There is a tale of how Mongol raiders stormed into the Valley of Jusenkyo that was already legend when we arrived. They demanded of Yin Zi horses, and women, and food, and wine.

"Yin Zi stood there, and told the Mongol chieftain: 'All that I have, you see before you. I have myself, and my wife, and my house. That is all. I can offer you shelter and dinner and fodder for your animals for the night, as my guests, but all I ask is that you leave this valley peacefully in the morning.'" Bin Gai took a sip of her tea, to wet her throat. "This is an excellent Oolong, Lady Dragon," she said in an aside. Kasumi nodded, and sipped her tea.

Bin Gai continued her tale. "The Mongol chieftain was not happy that his demands were unable to be met, and rode off, looking for another village to raid. That night, it is said, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi followed the raiders to their camp. He watched them, listened to their scheming. And the next morning, appeared before them, as a dragon.

"He grinned at the chieftain, the legend says, and this is what he said: 'Yesterday, you were offered shelter and food and feed for one night, if you would leave this valley in peace. You refused, and I know I offer you one last chance. Leave this valley now, or do not leave it. That is your choice.'

"Dragons, as you may have realized, Xian Pu, are paradoxical creatures. They are majestic in flight, yet they look like they should not be able to fly. They have long memories, but will sleep for centuries. They need not gold and jewels and precious works of art, but they hoard it for generations, never spending a Yuan, but able to know when one coin or gem is missing. The fact that his hospitality in return for safe conduct out of the Valley was refused darkened Yin Zi's brow, and that the Mongols were looking for a defenseless village to plunder did nothing to assuage that anger.

"The chieftain, it is said, ordered his men to attack Dai Ryuujin no Nishi. That was the last time a Mongol horde ever even considered approaching the Bayankala Mountains."

There was a throaty chuckle from behind Bin Gai. "**There's one thing that the story doesn't mention. The Mongol chieftain soiled himself when he saw me, and I don't blame him**. **I remember that incident like it was yesterday. It was about fifty years before Hyppolita and the Amazons arrived.**" Kasumi smiled into her teacup, as Bin Gai turned around, and was met by the broad smiling face of a silver dragon. "**Greetings, Elder. I am Dai Ryuujin no Nishi.**"

Bin Gai toppled from her staff, and hit the floor…hard. "I thought you'd be bigger," she said.

"**Why does everyone say when they see me? Remember where I was for the past three thousand years, Elder. When I merged with Lieutenant Marx, I lost fifteen hundred years of growth. Give or take a century,**" he said, shrugging his shoulders. He morphed back into his public form, and walked into the house. He bowed formally, but as though a superior acknowledging a subordinate. "Elder, I am Christopher Marx, and, as I just mentioned, Dai Ryuujin no Nishi. Allow me to welcome you to my home, which I know my wife did when you arrived here." He smiled at Kasumi, who gave her husband a worn smile in return.

"Yin Zi," Bin Gai said, "I have much to discuss with you about treaties and alliances. And I fear that there are others on the Council who will not be swayed by what I have to say, or that Dai Ryuujin no Nishi is free to 'spread terror around the world'. Not my words, honored Dragon, but Kuh Lon's in an email to the Council."

Marx began to chuckle, then chortle, then full out belly laugh. "There are other things more pressing in the world than a moldy old dragon, like myself. Al Qaeda is still a threat to governments, there are wars in Iraq and Afghanistan right now that are still unresolved, and untested, nation builders. North Korea is saying that it will curtail its nuclear weapons program; and I give that about as much credence as I do rumors that Osama bin Laden shaved his beard and is now working as a crossdressing showgirl in Bangkok." He shook his head trying to clear out _that_ particular image.

"No. All I want is a return of the peace that was in Jusenkyo when Hyppolita was Matriarch. We have much to work on, Honored Elder, but I would like to wait for the other two parties for this conference arrive."

"Of course, honored Dragon. I understand completely."

"I think we have some space available," Kasumi said, "if you would like to stay here."

"I thank you for your offer of hospitality, Lady Dragon, but I know of an Amazon embassy already in Nerima," Bin Gai said, with a wicked glint in her eye. "And I can't wait to see the expression on Kuh Lon's face when I drop in."

"Elder Bin Gai has always been a strange one," Shampoo muttered, as Bin Gai pogo'd out. "Kasumi, would you like me to make dinner tonight?"

"Thank you, Shampoo; yes please. There's much I need to talk to my husband about." When the former Amazon left for the kitchen, Kasumi looked at her husband. There was concern behind those silvery eyes of his; she could read it in his body language. "Anata, do you remember when we were on our honeymoon in London?"

"Of course. And I'm still sorry that I dragged you to all those museums. It isn't everyday that you get to visit the Imperial War Museums ((see AN below)) or the RAF Museum at Hendon."

Kasumi gave her husband a worn smile. He was still a history teacher at heart, and taught her quite a bit that wasn't taught at Furinkan when they were there. "There's something else that I wanted to talk to you about, that resulted from our trip there."

Marx's eyebrow went up. Never let it be said that he was the quickest on the uptake sometimes, but he could put two and two together to get four. Of course, sometimes his sister-in-law tried and got three. "We weren't using protection while we were…" He let his statement trail off as his wife blushed. "Then…"

"I'm two months pregnant, anata."

00000

Stop here? Sure why not. I love cliffhangers as much as the next author.

I use the plural for the Imperial War Museum, because there are five branches: South London, which is the main branch, the Cabinet War Rooms and Churchill Museum, HMS _Belfast_ moored in the Thames, IWM Duxford and IWM North. Inasmuch as they focus on the British and Commonwealth military events, they're superbly non-critical, and the American Air Museum in Duxford has an outstanding collection of, primarily, USAF warbirds, centered around a B-52D, although they truly honor the thousands of American airmen who lost their lives in one of the deadliest campaigns of the war- the bombing of Germany. If you ever get the chance to visit England, or live there, I strongly recommend them.

Although I don't see how the Brits think Monty was such a military genius as they make him out to be. Seven months to break out of Caen?


End file.
